Lithuania and Ukraine accelerator partner to develop defence tech

A new joint grant programme has been launched by Lithuania and Ukraine to strengthen defence industrial cooperation between the two countries and bolster the development of new technologies. 

The programme, named ‘Brave Lithuania’, was announced during the NATO-Ukraine Defence Innovators Forum in Vilnius, Lithuania on 1 June. It will support industry from both countries in an effort to accelerate the delivery of new capabilities to frontlines.  

Priority technologies to be developed under the programme include: 

• Uncrewed systems 
• Electronic warfare  
• AI 
• Communications systems 

Further areas could be added to this list depending on their relevance to the “current needs of modern warfare”, Brave1 said. 

The programme will also involve “joint activities for developers aimed at identifying new technological solutions and fostering [industrial] partnerships”. 

Ukraine’s Brave1 defence accelerator is responsible for the participation of Ukrainian companies in Brave Lithuania and will work with Lithuania’s Ministry of Defence to deliver its activities. 

Brave1 has not responded to DSEI Gateway’s request for comment regarding when the organisation might launch its first challenge, at the time of publication.