Air Force Vision 2035
The Ukrainian military is looking to procure new fighter jets and surface-to-air missiles over the coming years. In the Air Force Vision 2035 document, approved on 15 May 2020 by the Military Council of the Air Force Command of Ukraine’s Armed Forces, the Ukrainian Air Force has specified its intention to procure a multirole 4th generation fighter jet able to both guard Ukrainian airspace from hostile aircraft and deliver strikes on enemy positions.
The Air Force Vision 2035 is a long-term defense planning document which was developed based on the Vision of the Armed Forces of Ukraine. It is intended to identify rational ways for the development of the Air Force by 2035 and to generate baseline data for the State Program of Development of the Armed Forces of Ukraine through 2025, the Air Force Development Program, and other defense planning documents. It defines the Air Force's mission and tasks within the Armed Forces of Ukraine, challenges and threats to national security (including in the air), a description of the operational environment in which the Air Force will execute its tasks, and the target development model and requirements for needed capabilities with an assessment of resources requirements.
Ukraine will procure new fighter jets in phases over the coming decade, with a tender for initial batches of the aircraft appearing in either 2021 or 2022, Ukrainian media reported. Only a small number of jets will be acquired in this phase, while a larger purchase is being planned for the period 2025-2030. As much as UAH200 billion ($7.5 billion) could be spent on the fighter jet. Kiev will turn to suppliers in the U.S. and Europe to examine options to fill the requirement.
The Air Force aims to significantly overhaul its inventory over the coming decade. The transport fleet is to be consolidated with a new medium transport aircraft expected to begin entering service between 2027-2035. This project could cost around UAH40 billion. "Given that there is no such aircraft in the serial version, and it is not known whether they will be able to produce at the State Enterprise" Antonov "in the future, it is likely to buy foreign in the future. By type of transport helicopters in the Vision there is no specifics. It is not specified which helicopters are planned to be used in 2035. At the same time, there is currently no domestic promising helicopter that can replace the Mi-8. That is, these moments in the Vision are based on the assumptions that someday the domestic aircraft industry will be revived, " said the editor-in-chief of Military Aviation Denis Tomenchuk.
Moreover, the Air Force will overhaul its trainer fleet, which presently operates the L-39, at a cost of UAH35 billion. New unmanned systems should be procured as part of the project. These are estimated to cost around UAH30 billion. In August 2019 a delegation of the Air Force of the Armed Forces of Ukraine led by Commander Serhiy Drozdov arrived in Brazil to evaluate the purchase of light turboprop attack aircraft Embraer EBN-314 Super Tucano. This was reported by infodefensa.com. Demonstration flights were organized for them on the basis of the 3rd / 3rd Aviation Squadron (3º / 3º GAv) of the 5th wing, armed with the Embraer EBN-314 Super Tucano. Representatives of the Air Force also visited Embraer Defense & Security, during which they discussed possible cooperation and various conditions for the purchase of aircraft. In particular, the LAS (Light Attack) program, which allows to involve Ukrainian companies in the manufacture of weapons for aircraft.
Furthermore, the Ukrainian Air Force is to consolidate its air-defense capabilities under a UAH50 billion plan that will see it acquire a new medium-range surface-to-air missile system. Defense Express reported that at least four regiments should be equipped with a new system and ready for operational duties by 2030. Their number is estimated at 36 - 40 units, among the potential samples named SAM type NASAMS , developed and manufactured by the Norwegian company Kongsberg. Ukraine will also expand its domestic air-defense missile production (as much as UAH15 billion). During the third phase of the Vision, which falls on 2030 - 2035, to cover the most sensitive and critical objects of public administration, national economy and infrastructure, some critical elements of the combat construction of troops in operations must be purchased in limited quantities of anti-aircraft medium-range and long-range missile system with the ability to conduct missile defense in the amount of 9 - 12 units. Among the samples are called Western SAMP-T and Patriot, among the promising domestic counterparts - SAM-S(B)D, but this option is possible in the case of successful implementation of the project to create a domestic anti-aircraft missile system.
A new type of troops for Ukraine should be considered separately - unmanned aerial vehicles, which have recently been replenished with Turkish-made Bayraktar TB2 UAVs. In general, the unmanned component should be represented by two types of complexes: reconnaissance; and reconnaissance and strike, How they will work at the operational-tactical and operational levels. The need for resources is approximately UAH 30 billion.
The Air Force of the 2035 model must have:
- at least 4 tactical aviation brigades, armed with a modern unified multi-role fighter of generation 4 ++;
- at least 4 brigades (regiments) of unmanned reconnaissance and strike aircraft;
- transport and special aviation brigade;
- training aviation brigade.
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