UK to buy $114m of air defences for Ukraine
The UK defence ministry has signed three contracts to deliver air defence equipment to Ukraine worth more than GBP 90 million (USD 114 million), it said in a statement on Friday.
The contracts were signed on behalf of the International Fund for Ukraine (IFU), which uses financial contributions from international partners to procure priority military assistance for Ukraine.
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The largest is a GBP 56 million counter-uncrewed aerial systems (UAS) contract with Norwegian defence company Kongsberg, with two further contracts to provide further air defence capabilities.
The contract with Kongsberg will purchase vehicle-mounted counter-drone systems to detect, track, destroy or disrupt UAS, the UK defence ministry notes.
The CORTEX Typhon system is designed to be operated by as few as two users, and can be rapidly deployed and repositioned to maximise its operational effectiveness,
The system can operate individually, or as part of an integrated network, and will use a complex suite of sensors, cameras, radars, and electronic surveillance equipment
"These air defence systems have the capability and flexibility to be rapidly deployed to either protect Ukraine’s civilian population and infrastructure, or be put to use on the frontline," UK defence chief Ben Wallace was quoted as saying.
