Estonian defense company Frankenburg Technologies will begin testing its AI-powered air defense missiles in Ukraine in 2024, EER reports. Kusti Salm, CEO of Frankenburg Technologies, told ERR on 5 December that“The technology is promising and in the new year we will start testing it in Ukraine.”
Salm confirmed to ERR that testing agreements are in place and the technology has garnered significant attention.
In September, Bloomberg announced Frankenburg Technologies’ plans to produce its anti-air missiles in Ukraine.
In November, the Ukrainian Defense Ministry reported that the first missile samples were set to arrive by the end of 2024. The Ministry reported that these missiles are primarily designed for countering unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs) and can engage targets at altitudes up to 2 kilometers. Salm said that if the tests are successful and Ukraine approves further use, the production of these missiles could be established in Ukraine, as per the Ministry.
According to Bloomberg, the company was established in January 2024 with involvement from key Estonian defense and technology industry figures. Bloomberg listed the firm among “most talked-about startups building weapons in Europe,” noting its focus on producing inexpensive anti-drone missiles using precision targeting software.
“Our mission is to equip the free world with the technologies needed to win the war,” states the company on its website, adding that they aim to develop missile systems “ten times more affordable, a hundred times faster to produce, and in quantities far exceeding current industry capabilities.”
The company’s leadership includes several prominent figures. Estonia’s recently retired top military commander Martin Herem serves as an advisor, while Kuldar Vaarsi, chief executive officer of Milrem Robotics, is a strategic investor. Taavi Madiberk, chief executive of Estonian supercapacitor maker Skeleton Technologies, co-founded the company, and Sergiy Koshman, formerly an expert for the Ukrainian president’s office and Nokia Siemens Networks, serves as CEO in Ukraine.
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