{{Short description|Defence company}} {{Infobox company | name = Ukrainian Armor | logo = UA armor logo.jpg | logo_caption = Logo of Ukrainian Armor | type = Limited liability company | founded = 2014 | hq_location = Povitroflotskyi Ave. 94A, Kyiv, Ukraine | industry = production of personal protection equipment | products = bulletproof vests, helmets, ammunition, soft ballistic protection, bulletproof plates | website = https://ukrainianarmor.com/ }}
'''Ukrainian Armor''' ({{langx|uk|Українська Броня}} {{IPA|uk|ʊkrɐˈjinʲsʲkɐ broˈnʲɑ|}}) is an defence company located in Kyiv, Ukraine.<ref name="KyivPost1">{{cite web|url=https://www.kyivpost.com/article/content/business/private-body-armor-manufacturer-born-on-kyivs-barricades-412089.html |title=Private body armor manufacturer born on Kyiv's barricades|work=The Kyiv Post|date=15 April 2015}}</ref> The company produces bulletproof vests, armored vehicles, mortar systems, and unmanned ground systems, among other products.
The company was founded in 2014 by volunteers following the events of Euromaidan and the start of the War in the Donbas, and has grown into one of Ukraine's largest private arms manufacturers. It also has previously provided its products to the international market, especially in the United States under the name "UArm". Following the Russian invasion of Ukraine, the company has expanded its production more than 100-fold and was claimed to be one of Ukraine's top three military manufacturers by production volume.
== History == Ukrainian Armor was built on 19 February 2014 during Ukraine's Revolution of Dignity. The founders realized that Euromaidan self-defence forces catastrophically lacked bulletproof vests. Ukraine Armor begun as a start-up founded by 25 friends, including engineers.<ref name="KyivPost1" /> Initially, the team worked out of a kitchen creating improvised equipment. During the confrontation in Eastern Ukraine, the demand for ammunition grew and construction workers, engineers and designers joined the company. The team began to investigate foreign expertise. Their customers included the Azov Battalion, security enterprises, and businessmen.<ref name="KyivPost1" />
In 2015, production capacities expanded to the operating department of Aircraft Development Plant No 20. Production of bulletproof helmets was set up.<ref>[https://censor.net/ua/r3368437 Дмитро Хвиля: Рівень і якість бронежилетів як був в 14-му, таким практично зараз і залишається. Ми досі на сталі. Наче третій світ]</ref> During this time, they also entered the international market through the United States under the name "UArm", a practice they continued to do until the invasion in 2022, where export was impractical.<ref name="k">{{cite news |title=Новини компаній: Нова броня для українських воїнів, що рятує життя |url=https://nv.ua/ukr/ukraine/events/ukrajinska-bronya-innovaciji-u-bronezahisti-ta-viyskoviy-amuniciji-50423258.html |access-date=30 May 2026 |work=NV |date=5 June 2024 |language=uk}}</ref> At the time, they attracted more customers internationally in comparison to domestically in Ukraine.<ref name="k" />
Following the Russian invasion of Ukraine, the company started focusing on supplying exclusively to Ukrainian Armed Forces at a reduced price.<ref name="k" /> The company's then-director, Vyacheslav Nalyvaiko, also quit to join the army but was killed on 3 September 2022 during the 2022 Kherson counteroffensive.<ref>{{cite news |title=Під час контрнаступу загинув харків'янин, ексдиректор "Української броні" |url=https://2day.kh.ua/ua/kharkow/pid-chas-kontrnastupu-zahynuv-kharkivyanyn-eksdyrektor-ukrayinskoyi-broni |access-date=30 May 2026 |work=2day.kh.ua |date=4 September 2022 |language=uk}}</ref> Following the invasion, the production of the company grew by more than 100-fold, as previously they were only producing a maximum of around 100 bulletproof vests per month.<ref name="del">{{cite news |title=Броня за стандартами НАТО: як українці створюють бронезахист світового рівня — Delo.ua |url=https://delo.ua/business/bronya-za-standartami-nato-yak-ukrayinci-stvoryuyut-bronezaxist-svitovogo-rivnya-415031/ |access-date=30 May 2026 |work=delo.ua |date=20 April 2023 |language=uk}}</ref> Since the start of the war, the company has grown into one of Ukraine's top-three military manufacturers by production volume.<ref name="fo">{{cite news |title=«Прагнемо бути партнером держави, разом розбудовуючи потужне виробництво», – Ян Гончаров, СЕО компанії «Українська Броня» |url=https://forbes.ua/brandvoice/pragnemo-buti-partnerom-derzhavi-razom-rozbudovuyuchi-potuzhne-virobnitstvo-yan-goncharov-seo-kompanii-ukrainska-bronya-31082024-23143 |access-date=30 May 2026 |work=Forbes.ua |date=28 August 2024 |language=uk}}</ref> However, as a result, their factories have also been the frequent target of strikes by the Russian Armed Forces, which has led the company to distribute production instead of central locations.<ref>{{cite news |title=Secretive Ukrainian arms production a 'threat' for Russia, says manufacturer |url=https://abcnews.com/International/secretive-ukrainian-arms-production-threat-russia-manufacturer/story?id=106707984 |access-date=30 May 2026 |work=ABC News |date=30 January 2024 |language=en}}</ref>
At the end of 2023, the Ministry of Defence of Ukraine approved the first bulletproof vest for female servicewomen - a female anatomical bulletproof vest developed by Ukrainian Armour.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.mil.gov.ua/news/2023/12/27/minoboroni-sertifikuvalo-pershij-bronezhilet-dlya-vijskovosluzhbovicz/|title=Міноборони сертифікувало перший бронежилет для військовослужбовиць|date=27 December 2023}}</ref> The product was designed in collaboration with medics from Hospitallers Medical Battalion.<ref name="del" /> The company also later developed the armor suit "Bureviy", which was certified by the ministry in 2024, which claimed to provide double the protective area in comparison to a standard plate barrier.<ref>{{cite news |title=Новини компаній: Визнані взірцем: «Українська Броня» — перша компанія, що отримала сертифікацію МО на основну продукцію |url=https://nv.ua/ukr/ukraine/events/minoboroni-ukrajini-sertifikuvalo-bronezhilet-bureviy-vid-ukrajinskoji-broni-50398400.html |access-date=30 May 2026 |work=NV |date=7 March 2024 |language=uk}}</ref> In 2024, Ukrainian Armor announced it was in negotiations to create one of the world's largest armor manufacturing plants to produce the majority of its components and expand its clientele into Central Europe.<ref name="fo" /> However, the company's director said that they would not receive any state financial support, and that it was only requesting long-term contracts in order to support the production of the plant.<ref>{{cite news |title=Ukrainian Armor will be able to multiply production of defense products, but long-term contracts are needed {{!}} Ukrainian news |url=https://ukranews.com/en/news/1002483-ukrainian-armor-will-be-able-to-multiply-production-of-defense-products-but-long-term-contracts-are |access-date=30 May 2026 |work=Ukra News |date=30 April 2024 |language=en}}</ref>
== Products == Ukrainian Armor currently produces:
* Military bulletproof vests of NIJ IIA, II, IIIA, III, IV protection levels. * Bulletproof vests of concealable and semi-concealable types of NIJ IIA, II, IIIA protection levels. * Bulletproof helmets<ref name="styler1">{{cite web|url=https://styler.rbc.ua/rus/zhizn/hochesh-mira-gotovsya-voyne-reportazh-zavoda-1464889143.html|title=Хочешь мира - готовься к войне: как производят бронежилеты для украинских бойцов |language=uk|date=3 June 2016}}</ref> of NIJ IIIA protection level, V50 720 m/s. * Bulletproof ceramic plates, light pressed made of UHMWPE and aramid, tempered steel and titan. * Soft ballistic fragments protection of 1of NIJ IIA, II, IIIA protection levels. * Bulletproof vests for hunters. * Bulletproof vests for military officers and police officers.<ref name="styler1" /> * Tactical ammunition: load bearing equipment, web gears, magazine carriers. * Bulletproof vests for hunting and police dogs.<ref name="styler1" /> * Varta, Kamrat and Varta 2 infantry mobility vehicles/APCs * Novator and Novator 2 multipurpose infantry mobility vehicles * Armored cabs for most variants of 2S22 Bohdana self-propelled howitzer * MP-120 120mm mortar
==References== {{Reflist}}
== External links == * {{Official website|http://uarm.co/}}
Category:Ukrainian brands Category:Defence companies of Ukraine Category:Economy of Kyiv