Unmanned Air Defense Systems. Ukraine is Forming new Branch of Armed Forces

Ukraine has begun forming Unmanned Air Defense Forces, which will become part of the Ukrainian Air Force.

This was announced by Commander-in-Chief Oleksandr Syrskyi at a press conference with Militarnyi.

The new branch of the air force is intended to complement tactical aviation and anti-aircraft missile forces, strengthening the air defense of rear facilities—populated areas and critical infrastructure.

A command has already been formed for it, and units equipped with interceptor drones are being deployed to counter enemy long-range drones such as the Shahed.

“We are already using them, increasing the number of radar stations, increasing the number of personnel, and training personnel. This process is in full swing, so to speak,“ said Oleksandr Syrskyi.

He added that domestic and foreign-made anti-aircraft drones had shown high efficiency in destroying Russian Shaheds — 70% and above.

The commander-in-chief noted that air defense, including the drone component, is echeloned, and the first line of interception runs along the front line, through which enemy long-range drones fly.

Along with interceptors, another key element for intercepting enemy drones remains tactical three-coordinate radars. They are lightweight and can be carried by several soldiers, as well as being well camouflaged.

The use of such radars allows small groups in vehicles to quickly deploy an autonomous line of defense in open terrain, independently ensuring the detection and destruction of targets.

In June, the Commander-in-Chief stated that the shortage of tactical radars was one of the main obstacles to the scaling up of UAV anti-aircraft units.

“We have a few, but we need hundreds,” said Oleksandr Syrskyi.

Earlier, Militarnyi reported that Ukraine had launched its own production of such systems. They have a smaller operating radius compared to Western counterparts, detecting air targets at a distance of more than ten kilometers.

However, Ukrainian technology is simpler and more stable in use by interceptor operators, as it was designed specifically for the task of intercepting UAVs. This gives them an advantage over Western radars, which are more difficult to master and have many settings and operating modes.