Kyiv design and production enterprise "INGUAR" LLC develops the light armored vehicle INGUAR of the MRAP class according to NATO standards. The financing of the project is carried out by the Ukrainian entrepreneur Mykola Udyanskyi.
The idea to manufacture Ukrainian armored vehicles belongs to the young team "INGUAR". For the most part, the boys are graduates of the Kyiv Polytechnic. The team members were between the ages of 22 and 30, and before the large-scale war, they were engaged in tuning and repairing cars, as well as creating racing cars for various types of competitions. At the same time, young engineers retrofitted armored vehicles, manufactured individual components and parts.
- How did the "INGUAR" project come about, how many people work in the project?
Artem Yushchuk (founder of "INGUAR"): We had the idea of creating our own armored vehicle three years ago. It was then, on October 20, 2020, that the company was founded and gradual work on the project began.
After February 24, 2022, work on the project entered a new phase, and confidence in the relevance of the project did not require confirmation.
In a literal translation, the name of the company means "on guard", i.e. on guard of borders, on the protection of the Motherland. And the logo itself was drawn by me at one lecture at KPI in an ordinary notebook. Later, I transferred it to the program in which we created drawings. It hasn't changed since then.
Currently, 15 people work in the team, from young engineers to masters with extensive experience in the field of mechanical engineering. Now we are registering our own trademark "Inguar", but we have some problems. We recently received an official notice that the name of our company is consonant with another company - Jaguar. We defend our rights, because the names have radically different meanings, and the activities of the companies have completely different directions. We deal with bureaucracy, which takes a lot of useful time.
– At what stage is the development of the machine now?
- Immediately after the creation of the company, we began to develop the project banally on a marker board. They discussed the concept for a long time, were looking for differences that would make the car unique and truly better than competitors. When it became clear what kind of machine it would be and how it would work, we started looking for investors. They met the famous Ukrainian businessman Mykola Udyanskyi, discussed all the details and agreed on three stages of investment.
The first stage of investment includes UAH 20 million for the development of a car prototype, which is exactly where we are now. We assemble the prototype at our production facilities.
These 20 million hryvnias are the development of a machine prototype, i.e. the cost of one first copy. In serial production, the cost price will be less than UAH 10 million. Mass production means 500 jobs, not 15-20 as now. And when entering the international market, the number of jobs should increase to 800-1000.
- What is unique about your car?
- We differ from most of our competitors in that we do not buy a ready-made car and convert it, but in that we buy individual spare parts and assemble our own car.
Often, to make it easier, companies buy ready-made chassis and install an armored capsule on them. We have our own chassis and our own capsule. We are doing this primarily for unification, as we want to create a "family" of four- (for transporting light weapons personnel) and six-wheel vehicles (for example, for MLRS). Thus, the rear part of the machine can be variable (one axle or two).
We try to organize production in such a way that as much as possible is purchased in Ukraine, the main components are ordered in Europe.
We plan to present the prototype by the end of this year and go to state tests.
- What can the machine that you are developing? For which troops can it be used, how reliable and powerful is it?
- The equipment we are developing can be used for various types of troops. In particular, we are consulting with the Alpha special unit, GUR of the Ministry of Defense, with the Ground Forces. Modern war dictates new rules, so we try not to do according to the operational-tactical requirements written according to Soviet manuals 20 years ago, but according to the direct wishes and feedback from the military. These wishes, unfortunately, at the time of the design of the machine, were not yet written down and approved on paper, so we write down these requirements directly from the mouths of our military personnel, often in the mode of long dialogues and brainstorms.
Machines are made to protect personnel. We make them according to NATO standards for armor and military protection. This standard determines how much of what kind of explosive that gets under the wheels, the car can withstand and what kind of bullet the armor can withstand. This standard is a level higher than what is currently being done in Ukraine. We also consult with specialists of the research institute under the Ministry of Defense of Ukraine. At the same time, we conduct tests to see if we are doing everything right.
- How much does the production of one such machine cost? Do you plan to go into mass production, or will it be some one-off individual orders?
- One car costs about UAH 20 million. We want to come to serial production. The second stage of investment is up to 100 machines. The average annual capacity of similar productions is 200 machines per year. We will strive for this.
– Does the state finance development of this kind? Do you have government funding?
- The state does not finance defense developments to private enterprises. In wartime, research and development of this type is not carried out at all. Therefore, everything is done at the expense of private investors. Part of it is our company's own funds (mine and my partner Oleksandr Vovolka's), earned in peacetime. Part of it is the funds of Mr. Mykola Udyanskyi.
It is easy to work with Mr. Mykola. We met through the Internet. I wrote to Mykola, sent a presentation. He dialed me in a few hours. We quickly got along. The only thing we agreed on for a long time was the place of production. In the end, they decided that it should be Ukraine. If the need arises in the future, we will consider the Arab Emirates or Europe as options.
- Mykola, what prompted you to believe these guys and invest in their idea?
Mykola Udyanskyi: First of all, I am a Ukrainian, and secondly, I am a businessman. I analyze the modern needs of our state and see that the defense market is now promising and in demand. I want Ukrainians to be among the leaders in the production of modern weapons, so I decided to invest in the production of military equipment. therefore, when Artem wrote to me, I did not hesitate for a long time.
- An immodest question, how much money do you plan to invest in this project?
- Our financing will take place in three stages: the first stage - 20 million hryvnias for the development of the prototype. They have already reached the boys. The second stage is 200 million for the organization of serial production per year. The third stage of capital investments will include up to one billion hryvnias.
What else do I want to say? Of course, every investment should bring profit, not without it. But for me now, in addition to securing the front, of course, it is more important to support the youth in Ukraine. Look, these guys are young and talented. If they do not have support here, they will quickly find a place abroad and Ukraine will again lose its best brains, this time.
Second: the production of equipment is both new jobs, which are so necessary for Ukraine, and taxes for the Ukrainian budget. Third: such productions are science-intensive, which means there is room for Ukrainian scientists to develop and work. and fourth: these guys are the first, but I think not the only ones, whom I will support. I am considering several more promising, in my opinion, Ukrainian defense projects, where to also invest money.
Legal support for the project is provided by Yevhen Pronin, managing partner of JSC "Pronin and Partners", one of the leading law firms in Ukraine.
Yevhen Pronin: We are "for" the Ukrainian military market, for its development and promotion. Therefore, our association supports the boys from "INGUAR" in every possible way. We are sure that they will fulfill all obligations to their business partners on time and in full, make the project pay off and enter international markets with it. We, for our part, will continue to support the company and help solve legal problems.
