Major General: Belarus creating system to counter UAVs

Belarus is creating a system to counter unmanned aerial vehicles – as informed by Major General Andrei Lukyanovich, the Commander of the Air Force and Air Defence Forces of Belarus, in an interview with STV channel, sb.by reports

Photo: STV video screenshot

“When analysing the military-political situation, we see that unmanned aerial vehicles create one of the most significant threats. They are used in large numbers, have low visibility – and this concerns radar stations, visual and acoustic. Their tactics may also differ, and therefore, this is a headache for many states. At present, there is no panacea, no protection against unmanned aerial vehicles. With this in view, Belarus continues developing this sphere, learning from the best practices, including within the framework of international military co-operation," Mr. Lukyanovich said.

According to the Major General, the Belarusian military studied the experience of China and Iran in this issue. “In Belarus, we are creating a system to counter unmanned aerial vehicles, and detection is its main task. We have advanced stations, including Belarusian-made ones, for detecting UAVs. Secondly, we are focusing on counteraction by means of electronic warfare, and this is followed by destruction and counteraction by anti-aircraft missile systems and aviation. I would like to note that the electronic warfare and aviation counteraction system is multi-layered, and it depends on the importance of critical facilities. Therefore, we are actively working and co-operating in this regard," he added.

Mr. Lukyanovich also informed on the modernisation and upgrading of the aviation equipment, “In the spring, we received another batch of Mi-35M helicopters. We also plan to receive two batches of aviation equipment at the beginning of the year: Mi-35 helicopters and Su-30SM2 aircraft. We are modernising our Su-25 aircraft, including for the use of other means of aviation destruction, and we are supplementing our aviation equipment with airborne defence systems to ensure its protection. They have proven themselves very effective.”

As noted by the Commander, professionals serve in the Air Force and Air Defence Forces, and Belarus is proud of its aviation school. “All air bases have enough military personnel, and this allows us to perform all the tasks that our Armed Forces face. At present, 90 percent of those employed are graduates of the Military Academy of the Republic of Belarus, and this is a very high indicator. We continue training the personnel on a regular basis, also participating in joint exercises," Mr. Lukyanovich added.