War in Ukraine. Anti-aircraft patchwork, British training… point of the night

Whereas Ukrainian counteroffensive pushes back Russian troops in territories annexed in 2014Washington is pressing allies to urgently build air defenses “Quilting” from’NATO standard equipment So compatible, some sophisticated, some old, to protect key strategic objectives Ukrainians Bombings Russian.

“The (Ukrainian) leadership described their immediate need as air defense.”Recalled US Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin in Brussels on Thursday, October 13, 2022, the day after a meeting of 50 allies to coordinate their military support in Kiev.

However, set up “Anti-Aircraft Armor” Requested by Ukrainian President Volodymyr ZelenskyYou have to build what the military calls multi-layered ground-to-air defenses.

“These are short-range, low-altitude systems, then medium-range, medium-altitude systems, and finally long-range, high-altitude systems.”US Chief of Staff General Mark Milley explained.

These three levels make it possible to defend Ukrainian strategic objectives, such as large cities, key infrastructure or power centers, against ballistic missiles, cruise missiles or drones.

The US has committed to the NASAMS air defense system, the first two copies of which will soon arrive in Ukraine. They have ordered six more from manufacturer Raytheon, but delivery of these short-to-medium-range, medium-altitude systems won’t take place for two to three years.

Germany has delivered the latest generation German Iris-T defense system to Kyiv, which will have to wait until next year for the other three that were promised. This medium-sized but tall structure was intended to protect a small town.

To speed up the process, the US on Wednesday urged its allies to hand over their existing anti-aircraft weapons. On Thursday, Spain was the first to respond positively: it would send four medium-range “Hawk” surface-to-air systems to Ukraine.

France to provide radars, systems and missiles to protect Ukrainians from attackEspecially to protect them from drone attacks.

The model of the planned anti-aircraft systems was not specified, but a US military official referred to the SAMP/T surface-to-air defense system known as the “Mamba”, a European rival to the US Patriot in service. In France, Italy and Singapore.

Franco-Italian in design, the system is currently involved in NATO’s anti-aircraft defense.

Paris “Crotale” has also provided short-range surface-to-air missiles, the French executive recalled.

The United Kingdom has announced the export of AMRAAM missiles, designed for the US-supplied NASAMS systems.

Washington is also interested in the Spanish Spada 2000 system, which is similar to the Mamba made by European manufacturer MBDA.

Ukrainian citizens trained by the British Army in England

Ukrainian citizens are trained in the English countryside, in the south of the United Kingdom, in weapons handling and first aid and combat simulation.

More than 5,700 people have already completed the training and returned to Ukraine since the program was announced in June, according to the Defense Ministry. In total, the UK, which has provided significant military aid to Ukraine since the Russian invasion began on February 24, has offered to train 19,000 Ukrainian citizens on its soil.

None of the current recruits have military experience.

“Our British and Ukrainian instructors gave us tactical, medical and psychological training. They taught us the international law of war.A Ukrainian explains. “I’m ready to go to the battlefield and put everything I’ve learned into practice”.

This exercise builds on initial UK infantry training. More than 1,000 members of the British Army, Royal Air Force and Navy are participating in the event. Canada, Denmark, Finland, and New Zealand are particularly involved in the creation.