Albania has paved the way for the production of military drones and naval defense vehicles through a decision by the government led by Edi Rama.
Defense Minister Ermal Nufi announced after the government meeting that the state-owned company Kayo has been authorized to enter agreements for the production and trade of military drones, as well as military and civilian naval vessels in Albania.
The decision relates to approving negotiation terms for Kayo—owned by the Ministry of Defense—with private companies to establish a joint venture. This partnership will focus on the production, assembly, repair, and trade of unmanned aerial vehicles, as well as the construction and maintenance of military and civilian vessels.
According to Minister Nufi, two international partner companies involved in the project will be Italian.
“This is a historic step, as it is the first time in many years that conditions have been created for the production of such equipment in the country,” he said, adding that the decision was also discussed during a joint meeting between the Albanian and Italian governments.
Regarding whether United States could use the Kuçova Air Base for operations against Iran, Nufi stated that such a decision would depend on a formal request.
“We have a strategic relationship with the United States that goes beyond our engagement in NATO. Kuçova is a NATO base, and any decision would be linked to Albania’s commitments within the alliance,” he said.
Albania has supported recent operations by the United States and Israel against Iran, which began on February 28.
Since 2022, Albania has severed diplomatic relations with Iran, accusing Tehran of carrying out a series of cyberattacks targeting its digital infrastructure and public services. Following the outbreak of conflict, Albania has also faced additional cyberattacks attributed to Iranian-linked hackers.
Relations between Tirana and Tehran have also been strained due to Albania hosting members of the Iranian opposition group People’s Mujahedin of Iran for over a decade.
