France may supply Ukraine with 8 CEFA Zone Demining Systems.

The French company CEFA plans to supply Ukraine with eight SDZ (Zone Demining System) demining systems. This initiative was discussed during a meeting in Paris between Yuliya Svyrydenko, the First Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Economy of Ukraine, and representatives of French land defense and security companies under the umbrella of GICAT. CEFA is in talks with a Ukrainian manufacturer to produce parts for the SDZ machines locally.
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French SDZ demining system (Picture source: French MoD)

During this meeting, CEFA expressed its interest in increasing local production, including the complete manufacturing of the working organ and its assembly in Ukraine. The discussions also covered new areas of collaboration, particularly the supply of modern robotic underwater demining systems by French manufacturers, known for their high efficiency. These systems are also being offered to Ukraine.

Yuliya Svyrydenko highlighted the strong foundation for collaboration between French and Ukrainian manufacturers in demining technology and equipment. The Ukrainian government is determined to strengthen this partnership, especially by localizing the production of French demining technology and equipment.

The SDZ (ystème de Déminage de Zone, Zone Demining System) machine, developed by the French company CEFA, is a demining equipment designed to meet the needs of French engineering battalions. This Unmanned Ground Vehicle (UGV) is powerful, versatile, and effective, specifically designed to clean contaminated areas mechanically or to create safe paths through minefields quickly. The machine can reach a depth of 20 cm, crushing all mines or improvised explosive devices (IEDs) in its path, making the ground safe for all activities, military or civilian.

The SDZ, resistant to anti-tank mines, can perform all explosive ordnance disposal (EOD) tasks with its various tools. For safety reasons, the SDZ is remotely controlled visually or from other vehicles equipped with cameras and a GPS system. This remote control allows the demining team to perform and manage all their tasks safely, with all functions and the entire SDZ environment controlled by a control panel. Additionally, the demining operator can also manage and carry out precision tasks with the help of the camera's zoom function, for example, for hole inspection or shell removal.

Several tools and additional features are available for the SDZ, such as GPS with a special interface for humanitarian mine clearance and ISMA compatibility, camera assistance, a bucket, forks, an auger, a segregator bucket, etc. The SDZ can be used alone or in a set for greater efficiency. Designed to be easy to master, it can be immediately deployed in the field. Its weight with the tiller is 12 tons, its clearance width is 2.2 meters, and its capacity is at least 2000 square meters per hour.

Furthermore, it was reported in September that Ukraine's State Special Transport Service had signed a contract with CEFA for the supply of robotic demining machines and amphibious bridges. This equipment will be provided to the units of the State Special Transport Service, funded by the French Fund to Support Ukraine.