TIRANA, April 10 – Defence Minister Ermal Nufi said Albania plans to develop domestic production of naval vessels and military drones. He spoke after a government meeting where the cabinet approved several defence-related decisions. The announcement marks a shift toward expanding the country’s military industry with foreign cooperation.
In this context, the government authorized the company KAYO to negotiate and sign agreements with two international firms. Nufi said the partners will be Italian companies, although negotiations remain ongoing. The project focuses on building both naval vessels and military drones in Albania.
He described the initiative as a significant step for the defence sector. According to him, the plan supports industrial development while also creating new employment opportunities. He added that this marks the first structured effort in years to establish such production capacity. He also noted that the topic was discussed during the joint Albania–Italy government meeting, which reinforced bilateral coordination on defence industry development.
Beyond industrial plans, Nufi also addressed Albania’s role in international missions. He said Albanian armed forces continue to demonstrate training readiness through participation in joint operations with allies. In this way, he framed the military’s engagement as part of Albania’s broader contribution to collective security frameworks.
Finally, he responded to questions about possible US use of Albanian territory for operations against Iran. He said any such request would require assessment at the time it is made. At the same time, he underlined that Kuçova Air Base operates as a NATO facility. Therefore, he said any decision would follow alliance procedures and collective coordination mechanisms.
/a.p./
The post Albania to open path for production of naval vessels and military drones, defence minister says appeared first on RTSH English.
