60 planes will be repaired and upgraded for the Ukrainian Air Force in 2017
This year the Ukrainian Air Force will receive approximately 60 repaired and modernized MiG-29 and Su-27 fighters, Su-25 strike fighters, Su-24 bombers, and L-39 combat-capable trainer aircraft, as stated by Oksana Havryliuk, Chief of the Press and Communications Directorate of the Ministry of Defence of Ukraine, UNIAN reported.
“The Ukrainian Air Force continues to increase their combat capability. Thus, this year among the priority goals of the Ukrainian Air Force command is the restoration of infrastructure, the revision of the deployment of military units taking into account the modern safety standards, the implementation of the gradual transition of the Ukrainian Air Force’s command bodies to J-structure, which is adopted by NATO member countries, as well as the intensification of combat training, purchases, restoration, and modernization of weapons and military equipment,” Havryliuk noted.
“During this period, the total flight time of the Air Force will be more than 6,600 hours, the Land Forces aviation units will have a total flight time of about 4,000 hours,” the Chief of the Press and Communications Directorate added.
Also, according to her, there was an increase in the number of combat aviation test-firings at combined-arms training ranges where foreign specialists were involved in training the instructors.
“State defense enterprises are able to modernize almost the entire range of aircraft in service with the Ukrainian Air Force. Thanks to the modernization, the combat capabilities of aircraft will increase by an average of 50%. In particular, the range of detection of air and ground targets is being increased and the high target strike accuracy is being developed along with flight safety, durability, and aircraft life cycle,” Havryliuk noted.
Last year Ukraine’s Antonov State Enterprise received an order from the Ukrainian Air Force for combat plane development.