Elena Dushyna, head of the miltech group L7, includingdevelopers of firefight simulators, took part in the broadcast of Kyiv FM radio. She spoke about changes in military technology and the role of miltech in war.
MilTech — the driver of defenseinnovation
According to Dushina, the war significantly accelerated the development of Ukraine's defense industry. By 2022, the market was regulated, dominated by state structures and large manufacturers. Today, miltech has becomeone of the most dynamic areas, where new technologies are immediately tested in practice.
Ukrainian experience is of interest to international partners because it allows to work out solutions in real combat conditions, added Olena Dushyna.
“There is no such experience anywhere in the world. Many governments andcompanies come to Ukraine to gain access to knowledge that forms newdefense doctrines,” Dushina noted.
Technologies that are born after battle
According to Elena Dushyna, the key difference between Ukrainianmiltech is practicality. Technologies are not created “in the laboratory”, theyappear on the basis of real combat scenarios and the needs of the military.
“Military for us is not a customer, but a co-developer. We always walk away from their request. Sometimes they come and say: we need a simulator for this or that kind of weapon, and sometimes they describe the problem and ask to develop a product that will help solve it,” she explained.
It is this model of cooperation with the army that became the basis for the development of R&D centers in Ukraine. Over the past two years, a unique ecosystem of engineers, programmers, military instructors, designers, technologists and veterans has formed, working together on products that can influence the coming of war.
Standards, speed andresponsibility
Despite the high pace of market development, responsibility andreliability remain key criteria. The mistake in miltech is not about financial losses, but about risks to the military.
“We can move fast, but we cannot move carelessly. Our products work in challenging, unpredictable conditions. And this determines the approach to development. Therefore, reliability is in the first place and speed also,” Dushina stressed.
