One requirement manufacturers often underestimate at the design stage is early, independent testing of a prototype. Zalizny Poligon was built for exactly that — free, fast access to testing ranges before a product reaches final factory trials and codification.
What Zalizny Poligon is
Zalizny Poligon is a Ministry of Defense of Ukraine service for weapons and military equipment manufacturers that provides fast, accessible testing of a prototype at the design stage. The service was launched by the Ministry of Defense together with the Ministry of Strategic Industries and the Armed Forces of Ukraine.
Testing takes place at modern ranges equipped for various categories of defense equipment — including the ability to simulate radio jamming and other combat-like conditions. Manufacturers receive a formal report and conclusion from experts at the Central Research Institute of the Armed Forces of Ukraine and the Ministry of Strategic Industries.
Who runs the project
The project is a joint effort of several state bodies: the Ministry of Defense, the General Staff of the Armed Forces of Ukraine, the Ministry of Strategic Industries, the Ministry of Digital Transformation, and the Center for Scaling Technological Solutions. On the Ministry of Defense side, the project also involves the Central Directorate of Innovation Activities of the Armed Forces, Brave1, and the State Research Institute of Testing and Certification of Weapons and Military Equipment.
"It's a fast and effective bridge between an idea and the front line. Manufacturers get valuable feedback from the military on their equipment right away. The faster we test and put new solutions into production, the faster they reach the Defense Forces," said Ukraine's Deputy Minister of Defense Hanna Hvozdiar.
What's included
- Access to a testing range equipped for your specific equipment category
- Development of a testing methodology
- Expert review of the prototype
- Support during testing
- Consultations and feedback from military personnel
- A formal report and conclusion based on test results
The service is free for all defense-industrial complex manufacturers. A single manufacturer can apply again at any stage of refining a prototype — there is no limit on the number of applications.
How to apply
- Fill out the application form on the service's website
- Receive a call or message confirming your application has been verified
- The testing format and required conditions are agreed with you
- You receive notification of the proposed date, time, and location
- Your prototype is tested at the physical range on the set date and time
- You receive a report and conclusion from experts at the Central Research Institute and the Ministry of Strategic Industries
- If needed, you can apply for repeat testing after refining the prototype
You can apply online at poligon.zsu.gov.ua.
One year of the service, in numbers
In its first year, manufacturers submitted nearly 750 testing applications, of which more than 550 have already been conducted. It's one of the few state services for the defense industry where turnaround is measured in weeks, not months.
Testing at Zalizny Poligon is just one part of the path to codification. DOPUSK organizes the full supporting package — the testing program and methods, coordinating specialists' travel, preparing the report and protocols, and the subsequent TS development and codification submission. See also our testing service.
The service operates under Cabinet of Ministers Resolutions No. 159, 160, 234, 256, 345, and 763.