Hundreds of firms are trying to access a new website that lets them study salvaged Russian weapons

A captured Russian tank seen near the front lines in 2023. Ercin Erturk/Anadolu Agency via Getty Images Ukraine says hundreds of firms have applied to join TrophyLab, its new catalog of Russian weapons. The platform, launched in June, offers data on 115 types of captured Russian equipment. Firms can access a database on these weapons or request a sample for study. Ukraine's defense ministry said on Monday that over 430 firms have applied for access to its new catalog of seized Russian weapons and equipment, about two months after its launch announcement. The online repository, called TrophyLab, contains data "for engineers, scientists, and defense technology manufacturers" on weapons such as the Russian T-90M main battle tank and the Kinzhal hypersonic missile. More than 130 Ukrainian defense firms, as well as another 300 foreign companies, have submitted applications so far, the ministry said in a statement. Ukrainian officials say the database, filled out by active combat units, intelligence and security services, and scientific institutions, offers over 225 blueprints, component analyses, and schematics to firms that pass a vetting process. When the program was announced in late June, the defense ministry said it contained 115 samples of Russian drones, air-launched munitions, armored vehicles, and other equipment across 79 categories. "Every missile, drone, and vehicle seized on the battlefield is now a source of knowledge for the free world," wrote Mykhailo Fedorov, the country's defense minister at the time. TrophyLab also allows users to apply for a physical sample of a Russian weapon for "offline study" and to submit requests for information on specific types of Russian equipment. According to the platform, firms will be able to destroy or disassemble some of these samples in their testing or inspections. Eligibility to use TrophyLab is so far limited. Ukraine says it's only approving domestic manufacturers, certain scientific institutions, military units, and firms from partner countries that are already supplying its troops or screened by the defense ministry. The move is part of Ukraine's concerted push to harvest data and information from its battlefield as a catalyst for weapons technologies at home and in the West. The country has become a hotbed for defense startups and large, legacy manufacturers eager to trial their drones, robots, and electronic warfare systems in active combat — a service that Kyiv offers to friendly nations under its "Test in Ukraine" program. Meanwhile, Ukraine has shared thousands of hours of frontline drone footage with allied nations, such as the UK and Germany, to help firms there train their AI systems. Read the original article on Business Insider