U.S. State Department Funds 800 Mobile AA Teams for Ukraine in 2024
3 November, 2024 Mobile AA fire teams. Photo credits: National Guard of Ukraine In 2024, the U.S.
Department of State funded eight hundred mobile AA fire teams of the Ukrainian Defense Forces. U.S. Ambassador to Ukraine Bridget A.
Brink reported about this on her X. Brink has stated that the National Guard of Ukraine and State Border Guard Service of Ukraine mobile AA fire teams are saving lives due to their successful work, protecting people and critical infrastructure from Russian attacks. "I'm proud that the Department of State has funded 800 such teams that have shot down more than 200 drones since January 1, 2024," she added.
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy stated that in October, Ukraine was attacked by more than 2,000 enemy Geran-2 (Shahed) kamikaze drones.
A mobile AA fire team fires at air targets. Photo credits: Air Command South.
Mobile AA fire teams of the Ukrainian Defense Forces are one of the most effective means of combating enemy kamikaze drones and, to a lesser extent, cruise missiles. The use of highly mobile vehicles enables rapid movement across terrain and efficient detection of enemy drones, while their ample firepower facilitates heavy engagement and the ability to shoot down these drones.
Soldiers in SUVs and trucks armed with machine guns, automatic cannons, and man-portable air defense systems ambush Russian kamikaze drones and cruise missiles that are firing at Ukrainian cities and strategic targets. Whenever an air raid alert is triggered in Ukraine, mobile AA fire teams are already in position and on full alert.
Ukrainian mobile AA fire teams. Photo credits: Armed Forces of Ukraine
The creation of such teams is a forced step taken by Ukraine's military leadership to locally protect infrastructure and other state and strategic military facilities that could potentially be attacked by enemy drones.
On October 23, Militarnyi reported that the Vinnytsia community handed over 10 off-road vehicles to Ukrainian soldiers to strengthen their air defense capabilities.
The new vehicles will be used as part of mobile AA fire teams that hunt for enemy drones.