KIEV, December 14 (AVN) - The Ukrainian Defence Ministry is discussing the Air Force and Air Defence Unification again, the Military News Agency learned.
According to Defence Minister Alexander Kuzmuk, creation of a unified air defence system comprising Air Force is vital. Four years will be necessary to conduct the reorganisation, experts say.
First a unified control system, joint system to control air traffic and a unified radar field must be created, the minister said. A unified command post is planned to be set on the basis of the Air Force main command post in Vinnitsa. At the same time reduction or disbandment of the Air Force and Air Defence redundant bodies must be conducted. The bodies are radio detection units, air defence missile systems in Air Force units, etc.
Currently the Ukrainian Air Force and Air Defence units' strength is 80,000 - 90,000 men. Amendments recently adopted by the Ukrainian parliament officially set the provision, according to which the Armed Forces transition into three services structure was not envisaged. But the state programme on Ukraine's co-operation with NATO for 2001 (approved in November 1998) proves different. Gradual transition to the three-service structure is pointed in the Military Co-operation paragraph of the programme.