Ukraine and France will launch a joint defense innovation grant program Brave France worth €20 million. The program will focus on the development of missile technologies, unmanned systems, and counter-air threats.
Recently, the Brave1 Defense Technology Cluster and the French Defense Innovation Agency signed a partnership agreement, allowing both countries to engage in joint developments in the field of defense technologies. The Brave France program has a total budget of €20 million, which the parties will fund equally. The main directions include improving missile technologies, developing unmanned systems, and innovations in air threat defense.
For the program’s implementation, the parties are working on creating a joint executive board and finalizing thematic areas and expert groups. The maximum grant size will be €1 million, and the developments will be tested on the Test in Ukraine platform, which allows testing technologies in real combat conditions. The launch of the first competition is scheduled for September 2026.
This agreement is part of Ukraine’s broader strategy to expand international cooperation in defense technologies. Recently, on May 12, 2026, Ukraine and Germany signed a letter of intent regarding the Brave Germany program. The primary priorities of this project are unmanned systems, artificial intelligence, laser, and missile technologies.
Moreover, on June 2, Ukraine and Lithuania launched the Brave Lithuania grant program to support innovative defense technologies. The project covers areas such as unmanned systems, electronic warfare, and secure communication.
