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Ukraine Forms New Branch in Air Force: Drone Air Defense Systems
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Ukraine’s Air Force is creating a new branch dedicated to drone air defense. This was announced by Ukrainian Commander-in-Chief Oleksandr Syrskyi on a meeting with journalists on September 26, according to a UNITED24 Media correspondent.
Syrskyi said the units will focus on drone interceptors, both Ukrainian and foreign-made, which already destroy Shahed drones with an effectiveness of over 70%.
“We are forming and expanding units equipped with these interceptors, as well as a command to oversee them,” he told reporters.
The Armed Forces are already using drone interceptors and are now scaling up these units, alongside expanding radar coverage. Syrskyi added that Ukraine is also boosting combat helicopter numbers, considering light aircraft with mounted machine guns, and enhancing electronic warfare to better shield cities from Russian drone attacks.
“We are developing other directions as well. We are increasing the number of our combat helicopters, which have also shown high effectiveness against drones. Depending on the weather, our helicopters sometimes shoot down up to 40% of drones in their sectors. So we are scaling this capability too. Those helicopters must be fitted with specialised systems that allow them to detect the enemy—day and night, in different weather, in thermal and infrared modes,” he said.
“Work continues to expand and improve our electronic warfare capabilities. Our goal is to provide three- to fourfold EW coverage of critical sites. We are using everything available to build out our radar field and integrating it into a single system. We have automated command-and-control systems. Interception lines are being established. In particular, drones begin to be intercepted at the first line as soon as they cross the front line,” he concluded.
Earlier, Syrskyi said Ukrainian forces have trapped and are destroying Russian units that advanced near Pokrovsk, after weeks of heavy fighting that shifted the front line northward.
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