UK to procure 100-300-kilometer-range missiles for Ukrainian army
UK will buy missiles for Ukraine (Photo:REUTERS/Eloisa Lopez)
The UK Ministry of Defense has published a list of weapons it plans to procure for the Ukrainian Armed Forces within the framework of International Fund for Ukraine (IFU).
The military equipment will be procured for the needs of the Ukrainian Defense Forces within the framework of the Ukraine Support Fund, the UK Government website reported on April 26.
The UK will also procure equipment for the modernization and support of existing Ukrainian platforms, as well as for the production of artillery or tank ammunition.
The first IFU procurement round, known as “Urgent Bidding Round 1” (UBR1) has now closed. An announcement on the resulting equipment package was made on Feb. 15: Ukraine is to receive a multi-million-pound capability boost from international fund.
To ensure mobility, the Ministry of Defense will procure:
- Armored minefield breaching capabilities – mine rollers and mine ploughs full width and track width for Main Battle Tanks – T-72, Leopard 1, Leopard 2. Armored mine clearing vehicles.
- Armored-vehicle-launched bridges and launchers in any size.
- Medium Girder Bridges: 9m to 31m, with at least Military Load Capacity (MLC) – 70(T).
- Logistical support bridge launchers and reusable bridges: 40m to 80m, with at least Military Load Capacity (MLC) – 70(T).
- Heavy equipment transporters capable of transporting Main Battle Tanks.
Additionally, missiles or rocket-propelled shells with a range of 100-300 kilometers and ground, sea, or air launch capability will be purchased, with a useful payload of 20-490 kilograms. The requirements for the missiles are:
- Low probability of interception (LPI);
- Mission planning capability;
- Assured navigation (with hardened Global Navigation Satellite System capability) in the face of advanced countermeasures and EM spectrum denial;
- Air defense penetration methods to increase probability of a successful strike.
- Technical Readiness Level of at least 8.
To strengthen Ukraine’s air defenses, the Ministry of Defense will procure:
- Sensors to detect and track cruise missiles, low flying (<50m) DoD Group 2 drones, and/or ballistic missiles.
- Sensor-guided air defense cannons to defeat low flying drones and cruise missiles. Sensor could use radar, electro-optical, infra-red etc.
- Air burst rounds for cannon-based air defense systems (30mm, 35mm, 40mm). Must be at Technology Readiness Level (TRL) 9.
- Expeditionary barriers to protect critical infrastructure sites – military gabion (collapsible wire mesh containers). Any size.
The IFU is a funding mechanism that uses funding from international partners to procure priority military assistance for Ukraine at pace. This will ensure the continued supply of military support – lethal and non-lethal – to Ukraine through 2023 and beyond.
The fund is administered by the UK Ministry of Defense on behalf of an Executive Panel, comprising the UK, Norway, Netherlands, Denmark and Sweden. These partners, along with Iceland and Lithuania, have contributed a collective total of more than GBP 520 million to the fund to date.
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