Ukraine announces intention to resume helicopter production in partnership with Bell Textron

The Ministry of Economy of Ukraine has announced the signing of a memorandum of understanding with the American company Bell Textron on the development of the aviation industry in Ukraine. Its goal is to create production and service facilities for helicopters in Ukraine, according to the Ministry's website .

"This will not only create new jobs, but will actually revive the national helicopter industry," the ministry said .

The memorandum, signed at the AUSA 2025 exhibition in Washington, D.C., envisages the opening of a Bell representative office in Ukraine, the creation of a helicopter assembly and testing center (FACO) and, possibly, a joint venture with Ukrainian partners, the transfer of technology, equipment and tools, and the training and internships of Ukrainian engineers.

Implementation of these steps will become the basis for launching licensed helicopter production in Ukraine.

• Talks about the production of American helicopters in Ukraine have been going on for years.
• In February 2021, before the outbreak of a full-scale war, the then head of Ukroboronprom Yuriy Husyev announced the licensed assembly of American Bell UH-1 Iroquois helicopters at the Odesa Aviation Plant. At the time, Bell Trexton denied that it had issued a license to manufacture helicopters in Ukraine.
• In July 2025, Minister of Economy, Environment and Agriculture Oleksiy Sobolev confirmed, that Bell plans to work in Ukraine.

• Ukraine has been interested in American combat helicopters AH-1Z Viper from Bell Helicopter since 2022, MP Vadym Ivchenko, a member of the Defense Committee, told Defense News. According to him, the Ukrainian command has asked the United States to receive Viper helicopters through foreign military sales.