Ukrainian Air Force: Ukraine to increase the number of mobile air defense Teams
The number of mobile air defense teams in Ukraine will continue to increase. Yurii Ihnat, Air Force spokesman, reported on this. According to him, the creation of such teams is a necessary step.
They are needed to strengthen the protection of strategic facilities and critical infrastructure from Russian drones. "Mobile air defense teams will continue to be built up because there is no other way out but to defend in numbers. We have to understand that large air defense must protect strategic objects of the state, must protect Ukraine from the appearance of Russian aircraft in the Ukrainian sky and perform a role at the upper echelon, at greater distances," Ihnat shared.
According to the Air Force spokesman, mobile air defense teams are a forced step taken by the military leadership of Ukraine to locally protect infrastructure and other state and strategic military facilities that could potentially come under enemy attack.
Viktor anti-aircraft systems of the Ukrainian military, 2023. Photo credits: Joint Forces Command
Yurii Ihnat noted that the radius of application of mobile air defense teams is not too large, so they are constantly looking for different methods and ways to improve their work. In particular, additional equipment and high-speed vehicles are introduced to allow them to move quickly and take up a favorable position from which to more effectively engage enemy drones.
The Command of the Joint Forces of the Armed Forces of Ukraine reported that training and formation of new mobile air defense teams is underway in the north of Ukraine.
Mobile air defense teams received special equipment from the Come Back Alive Foundation, October 2023. Photo from social networks of the foundation
The Come Back Alive Foundation has transferred the first specially designed telecommunication kits to mobile air defense teams.
Vehicles for Mobile AA Teams in the Kyiv region. October 2023.
Ukraine. Photo credits: Kyiv Regional Military Administration
In October, the Kyiv region donated 45 off-road vehicles with special equipment for mobile air defense teams.
39 Mitsubishi L200 vehicles were purchased for them in the Mykolaiv region.
Vehicles for mobile air defense teams in the Mykolaiv region. October 2023.
Ukraine.
Photo credits: Vitalii Kim
Mobile air defense teams
With the beginning of the large-scale Russian invasion of Ukraine, mobile air defense teams were established to quickly strengthen air defense.
Mobile air defense teams
They mostly move with off-road vehicles equipped with large-caliber machine guns and small-caliber anti-aircraft guns.
Such groups are reinforced by operators of man-portable air defense systems (MANPADS).