Electro Optic Systems $120 million in supply agreement with Ukraine

Defence contractor Electro Optic Systems has announced a $120 million contract to export its Australian-made Remote Weapons System (RWS) to Ukraine in one of the biggest contract wins of the the company’s history.

The Canberra manufacturer said the contract was conditional on demonstration testing over coming weeks and was signed with Ukrainian state-owned foreign trade enterprise SpetsTechnoExport (STE).

It involves the supply of up to 100 of the company’s heavy RWS systems to Ukraine, including spares and related services.

The systems allow soldiers to fire anti-tank missiles, cannon and machine guns from inside the safety of an armoured vehicle, while also giving unprecedented accuracy of fire.

Ukraine appears to have chosen one of the company’s most successful products which includes some US military technology – so the sale must have been approved by US authorities.

The company did not name the model, however the popular R400 series is being supplied to the UAE Navy in a $450 million deal, and is also in service in Europe, the United States and South-East Asia.

The company is also close to releasing a larger R800 series mounting capable of firing larger calibre weapons, and recently launched its directed-energy Titanis counter drone system which degrades and destroys drones using a 34kw laser.

EOS’s capabilities were recently profiled in detail in @AuManufacturing here.

The latest order will be manufactured in Australia drawing on a supply chain of 100 local suppliers.

EOS CEO Andreas Schwer said: “EOS is proud to support the Ukrainian Armed Forces and the people of Ukraine by providing the country with the lifesaving utility of the Remote Weapons System.

“This will contribute to its critical security and defence needs.”

This order is not the only way EOS is supporting Ukrainian forces.

The company has a contract with US defence contractor L3Harris to supply its lightweight R150 system which can be mounted on a typical utility vehicle.

The R150 boasts an all Australian design AS65 rotating gimbal, meaning it can be exported free of US export controls.

Further reading:
CELEBRATING AUSTRALIAN SOVEREIGN CAPABILITY – THE COVID WOES AND REVIVAL OF ELECTRO OPTIC SYSTEMS
EOS IN $450 MILLION CONTRACT WITH THE UAE

Picture: Electro Optic Systems/Javelin missile firing from a remote weapons station