Ukraine Expands Air Defense Capabilities with New Volunteer Groups
In April, the Ukrainian government initiated an experimental project allowing the formation of air defense groups from members of local volunteer formations. This development was announced by Deputy Head of the State Aviation Administration, Serhii Yakubenko, who explained the operational procedures involved, reports 24brussels.
Individuals who have been released from military service obligations will be eligible to join these drone strike groups. However, those involved in manned aviation operations must possess appropriate health clearances and relevant qualifications pertaining to piloting and maintaining aircraft.
Yakubenko emphasized that the current priority is to recruit military reserve personnel who are adept at flying aircraft and understand the tactics necessary for neutralizing enemy threats. “Retraining another pilot on such an aircraft takes significantly less time compared to training a civilian pilot for military specifications,” he noted.
He clarified that there is currently no government decree guaranteeing job security for participants in these groups; nevertheless, all members will receive compensation equivalent to 100,000 UAH based on the number of combat shifts they complete in a month.
Oversight of these air defense operations will be conducted by the Air Forces to ensure that these aircraft do not become targets for mobile fire groups. The Air Forces will also be responsible for training crews composed of volunteers, establishing personnel and aircraft requirements for engagement in air defense activities. The government’s decree permits collaboration with citizen training centers to bolster national resistance efforts.
Yakubenko added that civilian aircraft within these groups may be equipped with various types of technology, weaponry, communication tools, and detection systems. The aircraft will be registered in a temporary registry for experimental aircraft.
“Trials of these means will be conducted during test flights or directly during combat missions,” he elaborated.
The volunteer groups will supplement existing mobile fire units, fighters, and helicopters that are already countering Russian aerial attacks. These groups will be deployed nationwide, not just within their originating regions.
Earlier, former Air Force officer and deputy director of a radio-electronic warfare systems manufacturer, Anatoliy Kharapchinsky, explained that several factors are contributing to the diminished effectiveness of Ukrainian air defense. He noted the high volume of rockets and drones launched by Russian forces and their ongoing modernization. Additionally, the occupiers utilize a range of offensive capabilities simultaneously, including cruise, ballistic, and aeroballistic missiles, as well as combat UAVs.
Meanwhile, Head of the Main Intelligence Directorate Kyrylo Budanov reported that Russian forces are transitioning to 16-channel antennas for better protection of their drones against jamming and signal spoofing. Although a radio-electronic warfare specialist had previously indicated that they only possessed 4-element and 8-element antennas, it seems that 16-channel systems were initially only planned for future deployment.
In the interim, Ukrainian engineers have developed a system designed to assist air defense in detecting “Shahed” drones and missiles under challenging conditions. More details can be found in the interview titled “When Radars Cannot See: How Ukrainians Created ‘Ears for Air Defense'”, conducted by Viktor Konev with one of the developers involved.
