NEW YORK, July 21. /TASS/. Ukraine has signed an agreement to make howitzers designed by the UK defense company BAE Systems, The Wall Street Journal (WSJ) reported.

According to the newspaper, the agreement envisages licensed production of the L119 light towed howitzer with a shooting range of up to 16.9 km, a deal that provides a potential blueprint for Kiev’s goal to produce other Western-designed weapons, including Patriot missiles.

US President Donald Trump earlier stated readiness to issue for Ukraine a license for the production of Patriot interceptor missiles, and French President Francois Macron spoke of the possibility to manufacture the European Aster missiles. However, experts point to the fact that the production of anti-aircraft missiles is incomparably more difficult than making howitzers, as the United States severely restricts access to advanced weapons technology.

According to the publication, attempts by some Western companies to establish production in Ukraine have previously failed. For example, Germany’s defense company Rheinmetall intended to build its own factories, but the project failed to secure the necessary investment. Turkey’s Baykar announced the construction of a drone production plant in 2022, but the facility has yet to be commissioned, the newspaper notes.