Ukraine opens Brave1 grants for air-to-air missiles and radars

Ukraine's Ministry of Defence, Ministry of Digital Transformation and Brave1 announced on 30 October that manufacturers can apply for two new development grant competitions: guided air-to-air missiles and Ukrainian radar systems. Brave1 says applicants may seek up to UAH 75 million for a missile development project and up to UAH 100 million for a radar project, with applications due by 23:59 on 5 November. The published ceilings describe potential grants, not sums already awarded.

Why the programmes matter

Brave1 identifies missiles that could be launched from uncrewed aircraft among the possible concepts. The ministry links the competitions to countering aerial threats, including faster drones, and to developing domestic radar production. It also says a separate turbojet-engine competition is planned for November; Brave1 gives a potential ceiling of UAH 350 million per development project for that future call. These are distinct development tracks, and the planned engine competition has not yet become an award.

The organisations describe lower-cost interception of jet-powered drones and radar detection of low-observable targets as goals. The announcement does not name winners, specify funded designs or report any test results. It does not establish that a UAV-launched missile, radar or engine from these competitions has been built, accepted or deployed.

What to watch next

The next verifiable steps are application outcomes, named grant recipients and project scopes, followed by prototype trials and procurement decisions. A funded concept should be tracked separately from an operational counter-drone capability. The site's counter-UAS and prototype-to-service guides explain the evidence needed at each stage.

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