BAE Systems Sign Agreements to Partner with Ukraine
Earlier today Ukraine’s President Ukraine Volodymyr Zelenskyy met with representatives of BAE Systems. BAE Systems CEO Charles Woodburn and a team from the corporation visited Kyiv to sign a number of contracts which will see various weapon systems manufactured and repaired in Ukraine.
The L118 light gun is a 105mm towed howitzer, originally developed in the early 1970s in the UK. It is also the basis for the M119 in US service and the subsequent L119. The two variants are in service with the Ukrainian armed forces – both use US 105mm M1 howitzer-type ammunition.
According to a release by the Presidents office discussions included ‘L119’ (the 105mm Light Gun) and M777 artillery systems and BAE’s CV90 infantry fighting vehicles. All of these systems are currently in service with the Ukrainian armed forces. Zelenskyy emphasized that “we highly appreciate when private companies open their offices in our country at such a time. First of all, this is a very important signal of support for our people, Ukrainian citizens.”
In BAE Systems’ statement on the meeting M777s were not mentioned specifically but both the CV90 and the 105mm Light Gun were. With BAE stating that the agreement signed “creates a framework for BAE Systems to work directly with Ukraine to explore potential partners and how it could ultimately facilitate the production of 105mm Light Guns in the country.” Charles Woodburn explained that:
“Alongside our government customers, we’ve been discussing with President Zelenskyy and his team how to best evolve the support that we’re already providing to Ukraine. Signing the agreements and establishing a legal entity in Ukraine builds on our existing trust and support and paves the way for us to work together to provide more direct support to the Ukrainian armed forces.”
Ukraine’s Minister for Strategic Industry, Oleksandr Kamyshin, also noted that he was “grateful to BAE Systems for the bold decision to stand side by side with us in the fight against Russian aggression and building the future of the Ukrainian defence industry,” and that “together with the company, we will be able to localize the production of advanced weapons.”
The other agreement, in BAE’s words “paves the way for the Company to work alongside Armed Forces Ukraine (AFU) to understand and support its future force structure and capability requirements and to help revitalise Ukraine’s industrial base.” At the end of the meeting Woodburn presented Volodymyr Zelenskyy with a commemorative certificate dedicated to the opening of the BAE Systems Ukraine office