Ukraine gains new procurement route through NATO support partnership
Still from TAF Industries video published on 7 June 2026 depicting its Octopus-100 interceptor UAV with an autonomous terminal guidance system. (TAF Industries)
Ukraine has joined the NATO Support and Procurement Agency's (NSPA's) Security Cooperation Support Partnership (SCSP), opening a new procurement route, the Ukrainian Ministry of Defence (MoD) said on 22 October 2026.
Ukrainian manufacturers can register with NSPA and bid alongside foreign suppliers, the MoD said. Ihor Fedirko, CEO of the Ukrainian Council of Defence Industry (UCDI), told Janes on 24 October that the partnership offers “a more structured route to compete for contracts”.
NATO tenders
If a tender requires previous deliveries to NATO countries, UCDI “would like deliveries to the Armed Forces of Ukraine [AFU] to be recognised as relevant evidence of a supplier's performance”, Fedirko said. NSPA assesses suppliers' technical and financial capacity and past performance; registration alone does not establish eligibility for every tender.
Ukrainian unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV) manufacturers have taken “concrete steps” towards meeting NATO requirements, Fedirko said. TAF Industries announced on 17 July 2026 that it had obtained ISO 9001 and AQAP 2110 certification. While not constituting blanket approval, AQAP 2110 sets NATO quality-assurance requirements for design, development and production.
TAF is licensed to produce the AFU-developed Octopus interceptor UAV. On 30 April, the MoD said 29 companies had received production licences. The UK has also begun producing the interceptor, intended to counter Geran-type one-way attack UAVs.
Certification alone does not ensure compliance with every NSPA contract, Fedirko cautioned. Bidders must meet contract-specific technical, quality, eligibility, delivery and export requirements.
SCSP opportunities
The SCSP could give Ukraine access to NSPA's 45 support partnerships for procurement, maintenance and through-life support, the MoD said.
Go beyond the headlines - with direct links to interconnected entities
Get full access to validated equipment, military capabilities, and market insights.
