British company to support local production of Light Guns in Ukraine

British defence company BAE Systems has signed a licensing agreement with a strategic Ukrainian defence partner to support the local manufacture of its Light Gun artillery system for the Armed Forces of Ukraine.

The agreement, signed during the Farnborough International Airshow, will provide Ukraine with access to BAE Systems' technical information and engineering support needed to manufacture an initial artillery system for testing, Caliber.Az reports.

The partnership also envisages the development of a Ukrainian variant of the British-designed L119 Light Gun, a 105mm towed artillery system known for its mobility and reliability.

According to BAE Systems, the initiative is part of its broader effort to strengthen Ukraine's sovereign defence industry by expanding domestic manufacturing capabilities and building long-term industrial resilience.

"Strong defence capability depends on trusted industrial strategic partnerships. This agreement brings together BAE Systems' artillery expertise and our strategic defence partner's knowledge of Ukraine's operational requirements to support the development of sovereign capability where it's needed most," said Giles Ambrose, Engineering, Technology and Strategy Director at BAE Systems.

He added that supporting Ukraine involves not only supplying military equipment but also helping develop the industrial capacity, skills and resilience required to sustain the country's defence capabilities over the long term.

The agreement follows BAE Systems' continued investment in artillery production in the United Kingdom, including efforts to restore domestic manufacturing capacity and supply British-designed 105mm and 155mm artillery barrels for Ukraine.

By Bakhtiyar Abbasov