The Ukrainian Air Force plans to completely replace all of its radio-engineering troops equipment, reports Militarnyi.

The radio-engineering troops, as a component of the air defense system are the main source of air surveillance over Ukraine and around. Colonel Mykhailo Donchenko, Chief of the radio-engineering troops, said to the ArmiaInform news agency about the peculiarities of the service, the latest radar equipment, etc.

The conversation with the officer took place on the occasion of the professional holiday, which was celebrated on November 30.

The radio-engineering troops mission is to warn of an air attack in advance. The network of the radio engineering units creates a continuous radar field along the entire state border and allows detecting probable aerial threats 300-400 kilometers away. In addition, some of the independent units cover all important sites and cities throughout the country.

Colonel Mykhailo Donchenko said that at the moment the radio-engineering troops posess 100% of the required strength, in accordance with the regular needs. In addition, 30% of their equipment is the latest models of Ukrainian production.

The state rearmament program envisages that by 2026 the radio-engineering troops will have 100% of the newest and modernized equipment, said Colonel Donchenko.

The chief of the radio-engineering troops also noted that the modern equipment, received by the army in 2014-2015 is already undergoing upgrades during maintenance and repair at the manufacturer’s facility.

Besides, the process of digitalization and automation of the radio-engineering troops reduces the number of specialists required to monitor the air situation.

At the same time Mykhailo Donchenko remarked that the Ukrainian Armed Forces lack enough automated command and control systems.

But their number is constantly increasing. Therefore, the radio-engineering troops hope that in the near future most of the processes related to the radio surveillance and the transmission of air situation data will be carried out automatically.

Earlier we reported that the Ukrainian Armed Forces have adopted the 80K6KS1 Feniks-1 radar and 19Zh6 radar upgraded to 35D6M standard was delivered to the Ukrainian Air Force.