The Romanian company BlueSpace Technology will produce interceptor drones under a Ukrainian license and is already testing its own autonomous kamikaze models, announced CEO Constantin Pintilie at an event held in Moreni.
According to him, the development of kamikaze drones and the adoption of Ukrainian technology for interceptor drones address urgent needs generated by the „drone warfare” that defines current conflicts.
The kamikaze drones are developed internally, include artificial intelligence systems, and are currently in the testing phase. "Today we see a drone war, and we have focused on developing kamikaze drones and interceptor drones," he said, quoted by Economedia. The kamikaze prototypes are close to entering production.
Regarding the interceptor drones, BlueSpace Technology has signed a contract to acquire intellectual property from a specialized Ukrainian manufacturer. "We want to produce these interceptor drones," the CEO said, mentioning that Ukraine is considered a global leader in UAV (unmanned aerial vehicle) technology. The company is now awaiting all necessary approvals for the technology transfer, and discussions about potential clients are premature, as reported by the source.
Interceptor drones are designed to neutralize other UAVs – either attack models or drones used for surveillance and reconnaissance.
Another model presented by the company is Ageela-2402, designed for search, identification, and tracking missions, but also adaptable for targeting.
BlueSpace also announced that next year it will build the first EMI/EMC laboratory in Romania and the region, dedicated to testing electromagnetic interference and compatibility for vehicles. The investment is estimated at 3-4 million lei, as such facilities are rare even in Europe.
VLAH, the first 4×4 armored vehicle developed in Romania after 1990
The company also presented VLAH, the first 4×4 armored vehicle developed in Romania after 1990, the result of a partnership with Uzina Automecanică Moreni, part of Romarm. The vehicle, made exclusively with European components, does not have a beneficiary yet, but the project allows for the accumulation of know-how and demonstrates that a functional public-private partnership is possible, explained Pintilie. If production is launched, the planned capacity is 200 units annually, with a need for approximately 180 employees.
Romania is unlikely to be among the clients for VLAH, considering it has already contracted 1,059 Cobra II armored vehicles from the Turkish company Otokar, most of which will be assembled in Mediaș.
In this project, BlueSpace is a subcontractor, providing jamming systems. Furthermore, Romanian legislation requires that a military vehicle must already be purchased by two other NATO states in order for the Ministry of Defense to buy it.