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How the military can obtain equipment through DOT-Chain Defence under the ‘Army of Drones Bonus’ program: Step-by-step guide

Since August, the Defence Procurement Agency (DPA) of the Ministry of Defence, in cooperation with the Brave1 defence cluster, has been implementing the ‘Army of Drones Bonus’ program. For its effective implementation, the DPA uses the DOT-Chain Defence digital system.

The ‘Army of Drones Bonus’ program is an incentive-based initiative aimed at providing equipment to all units of the Defence Forces of Ukraine. It enables units to receive additional drones and other equipment for eliminating enemy targets, including personnel, military equipment, and more. Military units earn points that can be exchanged for Ukrainian-made UAVs, electronic warfare (EW) assets, and ground robotic systems.

Key changes:

The key innovation following the transition was the digitalization of the process. It has not only simplified the process of selecting equipment but also significantly accelerated its delivery. Thanks to DOT-Chain Defence, the average period from order placement to receipt by military units is 10 days.

Overall, the program is implemented through the following information and communication systems (ICS):

  • Delta – a secure operational environment used by the military.
  • Brave1 Market — a product catalog and personal accounts for the military, displaying e-point balances and order histories.
  • DOT-Chain Defence — a platform for managing orders, logistics, and digital documentation.

It should be emphasized that equipment obtained through the DOT-Chain Defence under the ‘Army of Drones Bonus’ program is supplementary and supplied alongside other centralized military supplies.

Detailed description of the process:

  1. Authorized military procurement personnel from combat units need to log into their Delta ICS accounts, where they receive access to the Brave1 Market catalog. The catalog displays product cards with technical specifications, descriptions, and available quantities for ordering.
     
  2. The military uploads video and photographic evidence of enemy target eliminations into Delta. Following verification, the unit is credited with points corresponding to the confirmed targets.
     
  3. All accumulated points are displayed in the Brave1 Market, where the military can use them to select and order drones and other products.
     
  4. After selecting the required items in Brave1 Market, the authorized person confirms the order and specifies the amalgamated territorial community for the transfer. The exact delivery location of the drones is coordinated directly between the military and the manufacturer, who delivers the ordered items. The order is then transferred to the DOT-Chain Defence platform.
     
  5. Authorized military procurement personnel from combat units should log into the DOT-Chain Defence system. This is required to allow them to track order status, review documents, and sign delivery notes and acceptance certificates.
     

Note: The process is as follows: The DPA sends a letter to the military unit requesting details of personnel authorized to operate within the system on behalf of the unit. In response, the military unit also sends a letter specifying the individuals responsible for receiving the goods and signing the acceptance certificate via DOT-Chain Defence. Following a short training session, military personnel receive access to the system. 

  1. In the ‘Orders’ section of DOT-Chain Defence, the military can track the status of their orders and see delivery timelines — which items have arrived, which are still pending, and when they are expected.
  2. Once the goods have been actually delivered, the military unit and the supplier must sign the corresponding delivery note in DOT-Chain Defence, which is issued in digital form. Currently, the average delivery time via DOT-Chain Defence is 10 days.
  3. For the specified period, the supplier issues acceptance certificates for the goods delivered. These certificates are signed by three parties—the supplier, the commander of the military unit, and the DPA—to enable payment processing. At this point, the supply cycle—from order placement to payment—is considered complete.

Note: The Ministry of Digital Transformation and Brave1 are responsible for steps 1–4, and the Defence Procurement Agency (DPA) of the Ministry of Defence for steps 5–8.

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