Companies, regardless of their form of ownership, will be able to establish their own air defence groups with the support of the Armed Forces of Ukraine. The relevant pilot project provides for mobilising business resources to protect Ukraine’s skies.
This was reported by the General Staff of the Armed Forces of Ukraine.
An order by the General Staff has approved the procedure under which such groups will be able to use radar stations, electronic warfare systems and other equipment.
As the General Staff noted, the document’s main aim is to remove unnecessary bureaucratic barriers. Applications to deploy air defence assets and to allocate radio frequencies will be considered within five working days.
Groups of companies whose applications are approved will receive the status of special users of the radio-frequency spectrum and will operate under the same rules as the military.
At the same time, such units will not operate independently or outside the Defence Forces system. Each group will work in coordination with the Air Force of the Armed Forces of Ukraine, will be integrated into a single situational awareness picture, and will carry out the commands of air defence command-and-control bodies.
In particular, the groups will receive authorisation or prohibition to engage targets and will report on the results of their work. Only verified types of equipment listed in the relevant official registers and catalogues will be permitted for use.
The General Staff said this approach is intended to combine business resources with centralised military command and strengthen Ukraine’s overall air defence system.
- Ukraine continues to work with international partners on strengthening air defence and ensuring munitions for F-16 fighter jets.