Ukraine is still receiving few heavy Western air defense systems. However, the further supply of such systems will help neutralize air threats.
Today, Soviet air defense systems, which are technically outdated, prevail in Ukraine. About this Channel 24said the speaker of the Air Force of the Armed Forces of Ukraine Yuriy Ignat.
How the IRIS-T system showed itself
The speaker of the Air Force noted that Ukraine received from Western modern heavy anti-aircraft weapons, so far only one IRIS-T installation.
IRIS-T has already shown the first resultsthis week. The complex is not bad, excellent, the servicemen are very happy with the results. The pace of deliveries would be much faster, because we have a war “already and now” . Unfortunately, Germany will not be able to supply us in a short time, because the production of complexes and missiles is heavy, we need a lot of them . – the military explained.
According to him, Ukraine signed certain agreements with the allies, according to which the Armed Forces of Ukraine will receive this complex and put it into service. It will gradually strengthen the “still Soviet air defense system”and displace it, since it is “already physically and morally obsolete.”
“In general, we are not talking about MANPADS and other types of weapons for reinforcement on the battlefield – to shoot down helicopters and low targets. We are talking about < strong>heavy air defense systems. Earlier, Ukraine received one complex from Slovakia – we are talking about 8 launchers. These were the first deliveries. of air defense systems,” Ignat added.
Are there any Ukraine has enough air defense systems: watch the video
When will NASAMS
According to the speaker, after IRIS-T, Ukraine can continue to receive NASAMS systems.
Our Air Force personnel are being trained to receive the first two NASAMS batteries< /strong> and also get stronger in certain areas. In the future, we can receive this complex as military-technical assistance from various countries that could help us with this. NASAMS is a proven weapon, the military said.
He stressed that the complex is in service with 12 countries of the world and Ukraine needs to include all diplomatic and political tools in order to use it to “close the sky over Ukraine”.
Western air defense systems for Ukraine: breaking news
- IRIS-T are short-range missiles that have a cooling infrared homing head and are designed to destruction of aircraft, helicopters, drones, cruise and ballistic missiles.
- It is worth recalling that on October 12, the Minister of Defense of Ukraine Oleksiy Reznikov said that the IRIS-T system from Germany had already arrived. The minister called it a new era of air defense. According to Reznikov, this is just the beginning.
- Before that, Germany announced a new assistance package for Ukraine, which includes four IRIS-T air defense systems. Subsequently, the head of the President's Office, Andriy Yermak, said that Germany was already sending 1 out of 4 IRIS-T air defenses.
- NASAMS is a medium-range anti-aircraft missile system. It destroys enemy air targets at medium and low altitudes under any meteorological conditions. The system operates at a distance of up to 40 km, depending on the projectile. In height, it reaches 20 km. The air defense system is more effective than the Soviet-style S-300 complex, since it has a longer range.
- Soon, the first new NASAMS air defense systems will arrive in Ukraine. Members of the Armed Forces are completing a course on working with these systems.
