In response to the request of the Ministry of Defense and with the support of the state company “Ukrnafta”, the charity fund “Return Alive” handed over The Air Force of the Armed Forces of Ukraine has unique mobile complexes for the maintenance of F-16 aircraft. Among them are two technical hubs for working with aircraft and aviation weapons, as well as one complex for planning combat missions.
“This complex is extremely necessary for the needs of Air Force specialists. The need for such a complex arose due to the extensive system of aircraft basing and the lack of specialists. The implementation of this project will significantly speed up the process of aircraft maintenance and allow us to be more mobile.”, – said Deputy Minister of Defense of Ukraine Oleksandr Kozenko.
Unlike the stationary systems used in most countries to check F-16 aircraft and load them with weapons, the mobile complexes transferred to Ukraine are capable of operating in conditions of limited infrastructure and increased threat. Due to the regular attacks of Russian troops on airfields, it is increasingly difficult to ensure the safety of stationary equipment.
New mobile solutions should eliminate this problem — they allow you to go directly to planes that have made an emergency landing or a forced maneuver. In addition, the complexes speed up service and reduce the need for a large number of personnel.
The mission planning complex is a command center used for pre-flight briefing and close-range aviation support. It includes a module with workplaces for five to seven operators, as well as a residential module equipped with a kitchen, shower and sleeping places for a full rest of the military.
The maintenance complex includes an aircraft weapons inspection workshop, two vans for transport and munitions hangers, and a pick-up truck to provide team mobility and support daily logistics. The total cost of the transferred equipment is 51,354,554 hryvnias. of this amount, 49,438,176 hryvnias were financed by the company “Ukrnafta”.
“This project for the Foundation was the first aimed at working with the F-16. Here we solve two tasks: the first is a mobile command post for mission planning; the second is preparation for the use of aviation weapons. We implemented this unique technical solution together with the domestic defense industry, it is based on real needs in a real war. We will continue to follow this track and, if necessary, adapt the work to other aircraft that Ukraine will receive.”, – explained Taras Chmut, director of “Return Alive”.
Photo: mod.gov.ua
