At the MSPO 2026 international defense exhibition in Poland, representatives of the company "Ukrainska Bronetehnika" told Breaking Defense that they intend to look for partners among German defense companies for the production of new armored vehicles and other military solutions. Among the potential partners, the company explicitly named the defense division of Mercedes-Benz.
Two New Armored Vehicles and the Unimog Chassis
"Ukrainska Bronetehnika," which is part of the National Association of Enterprises of the Defense Industry of Ukraine (NAUDI), is one of the largest suppliers of weapons and military equipment to the Ukrainian Defense Forces. The company is considering cooperation with German industry primarily for the production of two new armored vehicles — the "Saigak-1" and the "Varta-3." According to the publication, the "Varta-3" was developed on the Unimog chassis, which is produced by the German automotive giant, which explains the interest in the Mercedes-Benz defense division.
Why Germany Was Chosen
The company explains its choice of Germany by its significant role in military support for Ukraine: German authorities have previously stated their intention to more actively involve their own defense industry in helping Kyiv. At the same time, "Ukrainska Bronetehnika" emphasized that, at this point, no negotiations with the German government on possible future orders for armored vehicles have been conducted — for now, the matter concerns the search for an industrial partner, not concluded contracts.
The Economic Rationale of the Cooperation
For Ukraine, such cooperation could become a way to simultaneously meet the needs of the Defense Forces and keep domestic production facilities busy. As the specialized publication Defence Express notes, financing the purchase of Ukrainian equipment by partner countries could help solve the existing problem with orders for armored vehicles within the country. Germany has already financed the purchase of Ukrainian drones, ground robotic complexes, and other products within joint projects; a separate example is the heavy Protector robotic combat vehicles, produced by "Ukrainska Bronetehnika," the supply of which to the National Guard of Ukraine was financed by Germany, and the first batch of such complexes has already been handed over to the military.
The Company's Experience in International Relations
"Ukrainska Bronetehnika" already has a practice of international cooperation: the company has reached agreements with the missile group MBDA and is working on localizing jet engines for rocket drones. In parallel, the enterprise is developing the licensed production of large-caliber ammunition, which expands the range of military products that the Ukrainian manufacturer is able to offer both to the Defense Forces and to foreign partners. In the case of the "Varta-3," potential cooperation with Mercedes-Benz could open the possibility of ordering such vehicles for Ukraine with German financing, and the cooperation, in addition to production, could include the supply of components and spare parts, as well as the joint development of new military solutions.
