Tencore to produce 2,000 TerMIT UGVs with new cash injection

Ukrainian uncrewed ground vehicle manufacturer, Tencore, is set to manufacture 2,000 of its Termit UGVs after receiving $3.74 million (£2.77 million/€3.22 million) in investment from MITS Capital, according to an 11th July press release. 

Tencore has already produced 800 TerMIT UGVs, which is a multi-purpose platform used on the frontlines in Ukraine, and will use the investment to increase production to 2,000 units in 2025. It will also push further funding into its research and development programmes. The company’s UGVs are used by more than 20 Ukrainian brigades, its website explains. Increased production should allow Tencore to meet new orders more quickly. 

This funding is important for two reasons. First of all, there are some areas of the frontline where Ukraine has managed to address its manpower shortages with UGVs and uncrewed aerial vehicles (UAVs). This allows most personnel to stay back from the frontline, limiting casualties. The TerMIT can be used for both reconnaissance and logistics support, as well as casualty evacuation. All three of these operations have become very high risk operations, with logistics in particular being a focus for first person view drones on both sides of the war. 

The second reason is the investment mechanism; the investment was structured through Ukraine’s Diia.City legal regime, which was originally set up to encourage the growth of Ukraine’s digital economy. It provides contracts and support for foreign investors into Ukrainian businesses, as well as the types of protection that are found throughout Europe. “This mechanism makes investing in Ukrainian legal entities as secure as investing in a Delaware C-Corp or an Estonian e-Residency company,” Denys Gurak, CIO & Founding Partner at MITS Capital stated in the press release. 

It is the first contract to be placed by an American company into a Ukrainian defence company using the Diia.City regime since it was opened up to defence companies in early 2025. “This agreement creates a clear legal path for international investors to deploy capital directly into Ukrainian entities without workarounds,” Gurak added. 

“Our goal is to get Russia out of Ukraine and Ukraine into NATO’s defense supply chain,” summarised Perry Boyle, CEO & Founding Partner at MITS Capital, noting that he expects to see more similar deals shortly. Indeed, some Ukrainian companies have already drawn investment from funds like Green Flag, which has provided funding to Kara Dag and Chimera. Other Ukrainian companies have partnered with European entities to take their offerings abroad, one example being Skyeton, a UAV manufacturer, which recently partnered with Prevail Partners in the UK. 

Company profile: Tencore

As is common for many Ukrainian defence companies, Tencore has a direct relationship with its customers. Brigades can contact the company and order a TerMIT built to their specifications. The UGV is then delivered and training and after-sales support provided to the users. The founders initially worked with their own funds, which is another commonality across Ukrainian defence companies, before securing some funding from the Ministry of Defence to further its development. The funding from MITS Capital will be used to continue R&D, which is thought to include development of a mortar carrying vehicle amongst other variants. The company is aiming for a large contract with the MoD to allow further scale of production, but the focus at present appears to be getting as much equipment as possible to the frontline.

Investor profile: MITS Capital

MITS (Military Innovation Technology Solutions) Capital is a Ukrainian-American investment group founded in early 2024, with offices in Kyiv and New York, dedicated to supporting Ukraine’s domestic defence industry. It operates an investment bank, the MITS Accelerator – a Y-Combinator style programme for defence tech startups – and sponsors the MITS Lightning Fund, a venture capital fund providing seed and growth capital. MITS aims to bridge Ukrainian innovation with US and NATO defence ecosystems, leveraging Ukraine’s position to deliver effective components, weapons, and systems to aid the country’s defence efforts and future security. Its co-founder, Denys Gurak, has previously held senior positions within Ukraine’s state-owned defence company Ukroboronprom, where he championed the development of UGVs.

Tech profile: TerMIT

Watch this video on YouTube and it will provide translated subtitles of the conversation. It shows some of the capabilities of the TerMIT and other UGVs.

The TerMIT (Terrain Modular Infantry Transporter) UGV is a modular, tracked robotic platform developed by Tencore LLC. Designed for diverse battlefield roles, it aims to reduce human risk in hazardous environments. Its modularity allows it to be rapidly adapted for various missions, including logistics (transporting supplies and ammunition, evacuating wounded), fire support (mounting heavy machine guns or grenade launchers), mine clearance, and serving as a mobile base for electronic warfare systems. With a low silhouette and low centre of gravity, the TerMIT is designed to navigate challenging terrains including off-road conditions, steep slopes, and trenches. Tencore works with other Ukrainian companies like DevDroid, which makes mounts for M2 .50 calibre heavy machine guns, and Unwave, which produces an electronic warfare system that can be remotely operated, crucial for countering the drones that dominate fighting in Ukraine. 

Earlier iterations are already operational with the Ukrainian Armed Forces where they are primarily used by the infantry. “These products should help the infantry, because the infantry carries everything they can on their shoulders, and when they reach the positions, they still need to have strength to fight. So, these products are primarily intended to make life easier for the infantry, to transport and transport the cargo that was previously carried by hand or driven in jeeps,” Maksym Vasylchenko, co-founder and director of Tencore, said in an interview with Army FM in January. 

Specifications

• Platform Weight: 270 kg with two batteries. It can be fitted with armour to improve its survivability. 
• Payload Capacity: Up to 300 kg. 
• Length: 1445 mm
• Width: 1240 mm
• Height: 540 mm
• Top Speed: 10 km/h
• Operational Endurance: Up to 12 hours
• Travel & Control Range: Up to 20 km
• Motors: Two electric motors, 1 kW each (some sources mention dual 2 kW motors)
• Power Reserve: 10 km with one battery, 20 km with two batteries
• Maximum Angle of Ascent/Descent: 30°
• Video Cameras: Day and night vision
• Communication: Basic connection through ground control station but a Mavic drone can be used as a repeater to extend range. A Starlink mini-module can also be fitted if required. 
• Cost: Dependent on configuration, but the CEO has mentioned a price in the region of $14,000. 

Calibre comment

UGVs are used by some units on both sides of the Ukraine war, but their cost and relatively limited capabilities in terms of range and mobility compared to a UAV means that they have not been as widely adopted. Russian units have used Courier UGVs for reconnaissance and logistics operations, and some other types have been observed conducting kamikaze strikes with large payloads of landmines. 

Western forces have found integration of UGVs challenging it seems, despite many convincing and capable offerings like the Havoc and Type-X from Milrem. The US Army and US Marine Corps are exploring autonomous rocket launchers to increase their firepower within the same force footprint. But the adoption writ large remains nascent, and views on their utility are mixed. 

If you would like to read more on the roles of UGVs, take a look at this op-ed from Simon Jackson, a defence industry insider: Robotic Combat Vehicles: Roles to really change battle outcomes. 

By Sam Cranny-Evans, published on 12th July, 2025. Credit for the lead image is Tencore.