تفاصيل : UK goes public with its MRO facilities repairing systems in Ukraine

• The UK Government has revealed, supposedly for the first time, that it has established four MRO facilities in Ukraine
• It is said there are 35 British contractors involved in operating these services
• Other British companies such as Babcock already conduct maintenance services in the war-torn country

Supposedly for the first time, the UK Ministry of Defence (MoD) has revealed its ongoing Maintenance, Repair and Overhaul (MRO) facilities on the ground in Ukraine.

As many as 35 British contractors are involved in operating four of these MRO “facilities”, with a fifth facility in the works. The UK Government claims these MRO units repair damaged armoured vehicles and equipment which are then returned to the frontline again.

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These services specifically support a range of platforms and equipment; particularly systems the country had previously donated to Ukraine, for which the UK already have parts and a pre-existing supply chain.

This includes all AS90 artillery systems, CVR-T armoured vehicles, Husky support vehicles, L119 light guns and former Soviet-era kit. In addition, the UK is working with Swedish partners to repair the UK-donated, but Swedish-built Archer artillery systems.

The UK Minister for Defence Readiness and Industry, Luke Pollard, visited one of the sites in Ukraine last week, speaking with those helping to sustain Ukraine’s war effort.

“From the factory floor to the frontline, the UK is standing with Ukraine,” he said, proceeding to emphasise that British firms are “boosting long term industrial production” in Ukraine. In other words, supporting the full lifecycle management and sustainability of legacy systems.

Building abroad in 2025

One notable industrial trend emerged throughout 2025 in which many foreign countries sought to form closer ties with Ukrainian industry, helping Ukrainian weapons builders manufacture their indigeneous systems abroad. In doing so, these countries – including Denmark and the UK among others – aim to learn the latest and keep up with the pace of emerging defence technologies adapted amid the Russia-Ukraine war.

There is a particular focus on electronic warfare, missiles and uncrewed systems.

Not the first time

But it appears supporting systems inside Ukraine is new as far as the UK Government is concerned.

It was said that the UK had first begun to pursue an engineering presence on Ukrainian territory when Russia’s full scale invasion began over four years ago. However, it is not clearly understood why the MoD took so long to confirm such a presence in the war-torn country.

But it is not the first time that a UK defence company has been contracted by the MoD to support Ukrainian systems in-country.

Babcock, the UK’s leading defence engineering contractor, already made public its own support services for Ukrainian platforms and equipment since 2023, when the company was awarded a contract (which runs out at the end of this year) to maintain two former Sandown-class mine hunters, now the Cherkasy and Chernihiv, transferred to Ukraine’s navy.

More relevant was Babcock’s move to set up an engineering facility in Ukraine alongside the state-run Ukraine Defence Industries (UDI). The facility supports military vehicles, keeping fleets available to Ukraine’s forces according to a statement first issued in May 2024.

Army Technology requested further details about the four existing MRO facilities in Ukraine, including whether these units are mobile for speed of support, but the department did not respond before publication.

Other foreign MRO facilities in Ukraine

Other notable MRO facilities set up by foreign entities include those from Germany, Sweden and the United States.

But one particular facility stands out: Germany’s leading armaments maker Rheinmetall, in its joint venture with UDI, established a maintenance base in western Ukraine in June 2024.

The facility maintains and repairs Marder infantry fighting vehicles, Leopard 1 and 2 main battle tanks, among other German made systems.

“When it comes to supplying spare parts, our top priority is to maximise availability and ensure rapid replenishment,” said Rheinmetall’s CEO Armin Papperger at the time. “To achieve this, we utilise existing channels via original manufacturers, process material ourselves and with partners. We are also reactivating original supply chains and integrating local production in Ukraine.”

Rheinmetall uses existing local infrastructure, but also brought special tools, spare parts and other equipment to the hub. In 2023, Ukrainian specialists were trained at Rheinmetall sites in Germany in the repair of combat vehicles, including industrial mechanics and mechatronics engineers.

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