Ukrainian future operators of NASAMS air defense systems are сurrently undergoing training.

Oleksii Reznikov, the Minister of Defense of Ukraine, announced this in a comment to Hromadske TV and Babel media.

He emphasized that Ukraine has not yet received these air defense systems from the United States.

The minister also refuted information about that Ukraine allegedly has already received NASAMS air defense systems. The information was spread by certain media with reference to the interview of President Volodymyr Zelensky.

Reznikov noted that misunderstanding regarding President’s interview could happen due to translation difficulties.

“President Zelensky meant that a fundamental tectonic shift has occurred, a decision was made to provide Ukraine with NASAMS systems. But in Ukraine they are not yet and cannot be, because our guys are undergoing training. Those who will be operators. These are complex systems. The same applies to the German Iris-T air defense systems,” Reznikov said.

The head of the defense ministry added that deliveries of NASAMS systems to Ukraine will take place on schedule.

On September 16, the Pentagon announced that the first two NASAMS SAM batteries will arrive in Ukraine within the next two months.

As previously reported, at the end of August, the United States Department of Defense contracted Raytheon Missiles & Defense to purchase two NASAMS systems. The amount of the agreement is $182 million. According to the Pentagon, the estimated date for the completion of the air defense system production is August 23, 2024.

Therefore, the air defense systems promised to Ukraine will probably be supplied from existing batteries in service with the United States or allies.

NASAMS systems are designed to combat aircraft, unmanned aerial vehicles, helicopters and cruise missiles of the enemy. The system includes launchers, each mobile launcher has six containers with anti-aircraft missiles. The air defense system also includes radar stations.

The range of the anti-aircraft system in the NASAMS II configuration using AIM-120С AMRAAM missiles is up to 25 km, and the reach in altitude is up to 14-15 km.