The Ukrainian MIM-23 Hawk air defense system crew has started training in Spain.

The Press Service of the Ministry of Defense of Spain reported on this.

Following the completion of the previous training course for Ukrainian military personnel in the first half of 2023, a new anti-aircraft unit started its training in Spain.

Training to use and maintain the Hawk air defense system will be provided by specialists from the 74th Anti-Aircraft Artillery Regiment of the Spanish Armed Forces at their base in Seville.

Ukrainian soldiers study the command post of the MIM-23 HAWK battery in Spain, November 23. Photo credits: Spanish Ministry of Defense

Spain was the first country to transfer MIM-23 Hawk air defense systems last year. To date, Spain has committed to transfer 12 launchers (two systems).

The Ukrainian Air Force is already using them to protect cities and strategic sites from Russian cruise missiles and drones.

Ukraine is currently using the Improved Hawk Phase III air defense system. Despite their age, they have retained their relevance due to the large-scale modernization that took place during the 1990s.

Despite its age, the system has remained relevant due to a large-scale modernization of the Phase III version during the 1990s.

Modernization made significant changes, as the entire element base was replaced with digital counterparts, and new radar and command posts were added.

Improved Hawk Phase III is capable of intercepting air targets at a range of 40 km at a maximum altitude of 18 km. The AN/MPQ-50 radar provides target detection at distances up to 100 km at medium and high altitudes.

The system is single-channel, so each battery can simultaneously launch a missile and intercept one target. However, due to the low-altitude AN/MPQ-62 radar, it can simultaneously intercept two targets within a radius of up to 20 km.

At the same time, due to their age, the still relevant air defense systems have been withdrawn from the armed forces of almost all former operating countries. Therefore, Ukraine can obtain an almost unlimited supply of missiles for them.

American MIM-23 HAWK anti-aircraft missile system. Photo from open sources

In addition to Spain, the United States and Sweden governments have publicly agreed to transfer these air defense systems. The latter, in particular, is to provide a more advanced version known as the RBS 97.

You can read more about this system in the article: MIM-23 Hawk: air defense veteran in the service of the Armed Forces of Ukraine.

The U.S. Army needs Congress to approve $3.1 billion to buy 155-millimeter artillery rounds.

Doug Bush, the Chief Weapons Buyer for the Army, reported on this.

“The funding will expand production lines, strengthen the American economy, and create new jobs,” Doug Bush said.

According to Bush, about half of this amount is expected to be used to increase production capacity, and the rest will be used directly to purchase ammunition.

The United States, he added, plans to modernize or build 155-millimeter artillery production facilities across many states, including Texas, Tennessee, Virginia, and California.

Doug Bush, the Chief Weapons Buyer for the Army. Photo credits: Spc. Dean Johnson

The U.S. and allies have transferred more than 2 million rounds of 155 ammunition to Kyiv. The U.S. has also sent artillery to Israel as it fights Hamas.

In this regard, the United States plans to increase its monthly production rate for 155 millimeter artillery shells to 100,000 in 2025.

Bush noted that the US executive branch wishes to finance the production of other weapons, particularly to boost the annual production rate of Patriot air defense interceptors to 650 from 550.

The official noted that the requested funds are part of a funding package that the administration of US President Joe Biden had previously requested from Congress.

In late October, the US Air Force delivered a batch of 155-mm M795 artillery projectiles to Israel.

A batch of 155-mm M795 projectiles from the USA for Israel. October 2023. Photo credits: 86th Airlift Wing

The projectiles were loaded at the Ramstein air base in Germany, which is the logistics center for the aid to Ukraine.

Before Hamas’s terrorist attack on October 7, part of the 155-mm ammunition was withdrawn from Israel’s military reserve to replenish the US stockpile in Europe.

The Armed Forces of Ukraine attacked the base of the Russian military in the city of Skadovsk, Kherson region.

Petro Andriushchenko, adviser to the mayor of Mariupol, announced this in his Telegram channel.

The strike on the building of the former collective farm “Soviet Ukraine” on the corner of Gagarin and Portova Str. was carried out today at 9 a.m.

According to local residents’ testimonies, this building, where two powerful explosions sounded in the morning, housed a Russian military camp. Currently, no one is allowed to come to the site of the strike, and traffic is blocked.

Area of the place of hit. Photo credits: Petro Andryushchenko

According to reports, about 5 Russian soldiers died, and 15 were injured.

Everything is blocked, and no one is allowed to get close. We already know about at least 15 wounded and five “good Russians” who will never return home, Petro Andriushchenko, Advisor to the Mayor of Mariupol, reported.

Place of strike at the Russian base. Photo from the open sources

Russian soldiers have been spotted at the site. Some Russian Telegram channels confirm that the strike was on a Russian military base. It is also reported that the FSS officers were stationed in the building.

This is the second known case of the destruction of a Russian military base this month. On November 1, the Armed Forces of Ukraine attacked the Russian troops stationed at the Arabat Spit in the Kherson region.

As a result of the strike, the Ukrainian military eliminated three staff officers of the Russian Airborne Forces.

At the time, the missiles hit two recreation centers – the boarding house “Yunyy” and “Blakytne Polumya” in the village of Strilkove.

Neutralized Russian officers of the Russian Airborne Forces. November 2023. Photo credits: @666_mancer

According to the photo from the memorial service, the following Russian officers were killed:

• Colonel Vadim Dobryakov, Deputy Head of the Command Center of the Airborne Forces Command;
• Colonel Alexey Koblov, Head of the Department (planning of enemy fire) of the operational department of the Airborne Forces Headquarters;
• Colonel Alexander Galkin, Deputy Head of the Airborne Forces Command Control Center.

The Russians have started using a new version of the Lancet loitering munition, which cannot be defended against by cage armor and anti-drone nets.

Militarnyi reported on this.

The Russian invaders published a video of a Lancet loitering munition attacking a Ukrainian combat vehicle. An interesting feature was that the drone struck the target by exploding a few meters away.

The footage shows that it detonates before reaching the armor, as it used to. This may be evidence of the start of the use of Russian drones with remote detonation on the front line.

A Lancet LM hit the Ukrainian M2 Bradley infantry fighting vehicle, November 2023

When the LM approaches the object at the required distance, it initiates the warhead. The cumulative jet formed by the explosion flies the last meters and hits the target.

This technical solution helps solve the issue with anti-drone nets, where old drone models with a impact fuze often get confused and failed.

A Russian Lancet loitering munition stuck in a metal net deployed over a Ukrainian military Krab ACS. January 2023, Ukraine. Photo credits: Kriegsforscher

Removing the point of explosion from the target by several meters does not reduce the penetration of the munition. It is not yet known whether the drone uses the old KZ-6 charge or has received a similar one with an explosively formed penetrator.

The drone is equipped with a lidar that uses two optical cameras to measure the distance to an object to initiate a warhead at the proper time.

Lidar next to the optical module of the Lancet LM

Defense against drones

As of now, there are no effective means of protecting the masts from attack drones except for powerful electronic warfare systems like Bukovel. Therefore, the launch of drones that can bypass the “nets” is extremely bad news.

However, in addition to technical solutions, it is still possible to preserve equipment and operate effectively using camouflage and new tactics.

The Lancet drone’s operation can be detected at a distance due to radio frequency spectrum analyzers. Thus, Zala’s drones, including Lancets and their tracking scout, operate in the 900 MHz control band. More precisely, 868-870 MHz and 902-928 MHz. They have a characteristic “shape” in the form of two sharp peaks.

Lancet’s radio communication frequencies are in the range of 868-870 MHz and 902-928 MHz. Photo credits: Serhii Flesh

In addition, preparations for the use of Russian loitering munitions and their launch can be tracked by specific battlefield changes. According to Serhii Flesh, the current versions of Lancets do not have a navigation module protected against electronic warfare. Therefore, before launching, the Russians disable their electronic warfare on GPS frequencies so as not to interfere with the operation of their drones.

“At 1575 MHz, the Russians were interfering for days and suddenly disappeared. The drones did not see GPS and suddenly did. So we are waiting for Lancet,” Serhii shared.

The Security Service of Ukraine uncovered an attempt to illegally export components for Mi-8 helicopters from Ukraine.

The SSU Press Service published the news on its social media pages.

The SSU counter-intelligence in the Kirovohrad region uncovered an illegal export scheme of dual-use goods subject to export control.

This regards auxiliary gas turbine engines and navigation equipment for the Mi-8 multipurpose helicopters.

Spare parts for Mi-8 helicopters seized by the Security Service of Ukraine, September 9, 2023. Photo credits: SSU

The Security Service of Ukraine timely uncovered the export scheme and prevented the illegal export of aircraft parts abroad.

A former official of the Kropyvnytskyi detention center tried to sell aircraft components and assemblies. He placed advertisements on specialized websites to find potential buyers.

The defendant wanted to use international cargo transportation services to transport the goods to foreign customers. He entered false information in the shipping declarations to conceal the illegal exports.

The operatives are currently establishing the sources of origin and final recipients of the helicopter equipment.

In addition, materials are being prepared to transfer the seized property to the needs of the Armed Forces of Ukraine.

On November 8, the SSU detained three people who wanted to export equipment for MiG-29 fighter jets from Ukraine.

The offenders tried to illegally sell a batch of spare parts for aircraft engines worth almost UAH 2.5 million to Asian customers. According to the available data, the relevant components were previously stolen from the industrial giant Motor Sich.

In addition, in this way, the criminals also wanted to export a radar unit for MiG-29 fighter jets from Ukraine.

The Swiss company Global Clearance Solutions, a manufacturer of robotic demining platforms, has opened a service and maintenance facility in Kyiv.

The company announced this on its website.

Fabian Klauser, Head of Service and Maintenance, emphasizes that the constant availability of the equipment ensures sustainable best use of international mine clearance investment to date and in the future.

“Our workshop can accommodate several GCS-200 machines, which are perfectly suited to eliminate explosive threats for agricultural land and ensure infrastructure such as electricity pylons can be repaired and essential power restored to civilians. There is also space for the smaller GCS-100,” Klauser said.

New service and maintenance facility. Photo credits: Global Clearance Solutions

GCS Technical Support Team Lead Florian Loeffler is also excited to welcome the facility and the continued partnership with SESU, Nibulon, and other Ukrainian organizations to meet the challenge of eliminating explosive threats and creating safe environments.

“Our workshop is an essential element of our end-to-end involvement with clients and international donors. Equipment that is working is saving lives, day in, day out,” Loeffler noted.

Before that, an initiative specialist of the company using a mobile workshop was conducting the repairs.

At the beginning of October, Militarnyi reported that Nibulon received its first mine-clearing vehicle from Global Clearance Solutions.

The German Federal Ministry for Economic Cooperation and Development (BMZ) and the German State Development Bank (KFW DEG) were funding the order for the demining vehicles.

GCS-200 mine-clearing vehicle by the Swiss company Global Clearance Solutions (GCS), handed over to the Ukrainian forces, 2022. Photo credits: GCS

In addition, it was reported that Ukrainian sappers have received two demining vehicles from the Canadian government.

A Swiss company has signed a memorandum with the Ministry of Reintegration of the Temporarily Occupied Territories to manufacture about 20 unmanned vehicles.

GCS management has announced its intention to supply about 20 mine-clearing vehicles to Ukraine within a year.

The parties agreed to cooperate in the field of technical and non-technical explosive ordnance surveys of the territories and to educate the population of the liberated areas about the risks associated with mines and unexploded ordnance.

The German government has transferred seven Czech-made Primoco ONE drones to the Armed Forces of Ukraine.

The German government reported on this.

The drones, manufactured by the Czech company Primoco, are designed for surveillance and reconnaissance.

The manufacturer claims the maximum takeoff weight of the Primoco ONE to be 150 kilograms and the flight duration to be up to 15 hours.

The operational radius of control from the ground station is up to 200 kilometers, and the total flight range is up to 2,000 kilometers, with a cruising speed of up to 150 kilometers per hour and an airborne time of up to 10 hours.

Primoco UAV control point. Photo credits: Primoco UAV

The drone can rise to a height of up to 3 kilometers and carry a payload of up to 30 kilograms.

The drone’s payload consists of optical, infrared, and night cameras, multispectral or hyperspectral cameras, and encrypted communication systems.

It can take off and land at any time of the day, even in adverse weather conditions.

The built-in autopilot system provides fully automated takeoff, landing, and autonomous flight plan execution.

Using a runway of 300 meters, our UAV provides customers with the ability to fly without the need to use airport services.

A shot from a drone camera of Primoco UAV. Photo credits: Primoco UAV

In November 2021, Militarnyi reported that Luxembourg had handed over a pair of six Primoco ONE drones to Ukraine.

Luxembourg purchased these drones as part of military assistance to the Armed Forces of Ukraine after the invasion of the country by Russian troops.

The Slovak government has canceled the fourteenth package of military aid to Ukraine, estimated at €40.3 million.

Aktuality reported on this.

The former leadership of the Slovak Ministry of Defense prepared the assistance for transfer, and the new government under Robert Fico rejected it.

The package was to include 4 million rounds of 7.62mm ammunition, 5,172 units of large-caliber 125mm ammunition, 140 missiles for the Kub surface-to-air missile system, eight mortars, and 1,200 mortars.

Slovakia previously handed over 13 military aid packages totaling about €671 million.

3M9 anti-aircraft guided missiles of the Kub surface-to-air missile system. Photo from open sources

The country supplied armored vehicles, artillery, air defense systems, ammunition, and aircraft to the Armed Forces of Ukraine.

In early October, Militarnyi reported that the Slovak President was blocking aid to Ukraine because of changes in the parliament, where Robert Fico won and promised voters to stop military aid to Ukraine.

“The results of democratically held elections must be respected, and the act of ignoring the position of the Social Democrats, which he promised voters (suspension of aid to Ukraine), will only set a bad precedent for the future,” Slovak President Zuzana Čaputová claimed.

In addition, a social survey in Slovakia shows that the majority of people believe that Russia’s invasion of Ukraine began because of the policies of Western countries.

The previous Slovak government managed to deliver all 13 promised MiG-29 fighter jets to Ukraine, with the first four aircraft being delivered in March of this year.

A MiG-29 fighter jet of the Slovak Air Force. Photo credits: Ministry of Defense of Slovakia

Thanks to the previous Slovak government, the Armed Forces of Ukraine received S-300 launchers, infantry fighting vehicles, self-propelled artillery systems, and a large number of other weapons.

Despite the new government’s policy, local volunteers continue helping Ukraine. In September, Militarnyi reported that the Slovakian company Way Industries had started assembling a new Bozena-5 demining system for Ukraine.

The Ministry of Defense of India has decided to modernize its existing fleet of MiG-29 fighter jets to use long-range missiles.

Janes reported on this.

The decision was made amid the Chinese Air Force’s strengthening with new J-16 and J-20 fighter jets and their deployment in the border areas.

Modernization of the MiG-29UPG aircraft will include the installation of a new digital interface, modernization of the mounts and power supply system, and creation of new launchers.

Exterior of the Rampage missile. Photo credits: Israel Aerospace Industries

According to the plan, the aircraft modernization process should take 12 months from the contract’s signing to purchase launchers.

According to a document from the Ministry of Defense of India, there is an urgent need to integrate air-to-ground missiles to be used with MiG-29 fighter jets to their full operational potential.

According to an anonymous representative of the Indian Ministry of Defense, this integration is aimed at preparing MiG-29 fighter jets to use Israeli Rampage missiles.

The missiles of this type have a maximum range of 250 km and a maximum speed of 1.6 M. The 150-kg warhead can destroy most ground targets, and using an infrared camera ensures high accuracy.

MiG-29UPG fighter jet of the Indian Air Force. Photo credits: IAF

The Rampage missile is designed to hit important targets such as radar stations, communication centers, weapons depots, and airfields.

The long range of the missile will allow the carrier aircraft to avoid the area of operation of enemy air defense systems.

Militarnyi previously reported that the Indian Air Force plans to independently modernize Su-30 MKI fighter jets manufactured in the country under a Russian license.

According to Air Chief Marshal Vivek Ram Chaudhari, Commander of the Indian Air Force, the technical parameters of these aircraft’s “major” modernization are being clarified.

“We have decided that this upgrade will be carried out at local enterprises. The modernization will include adaptation for the fighter jets to use Indian-made weapons, electronic warfare systems, etc. We are considering upgrading 84 Su-30MKI in the first tranche,” Chaudhari said.

The European Union has handed over to the Armed Forces of Ukraine 50 sapper dogs and drones for demining.

This was reported by the Ukrinform news agency.

Belgian, Dutch and German shepherd dogs were trained in Finland, Belgium, and Luxembourg for several months.

The training of the dogs was carried out by retired K9 police officers from EU countries.

They will be provided with special shoes, goggles, vests, and fodder. They will also have special devices on vests that are designed to detect radioactive elements.

Explosives dogs. Photo credits: Ukrinform

The certification of dogs and their transfer to cynologists took place in the Carpathian Border Guard Regional Unit in the city of Nowy Sącz.

The representative of the European Commission, Mr. Martin Schieffer, attended the ceremony. He emphasized that Russian aggression against Ukraine led to the contamination of Ukrainian territory with explosive devices.

“Ukraine faces a significant challenge that no one has faced before: cleaning up all the territories that have these explosive devices. This territory occupies the same amount as the total territories of Austria, Denmark and the Netherlands,” said Schieffer.

Leonid Levchenko, Head of the Department for the Search for Explosive Objects by detection dogs of the Command of the Support Forces of the Armed Forces of Ukraine, expressed gratitude to European partners for their support and assistance.

He stressed that this cooperation is “a very important step to ensure peace and stability in Eastern Europe.”

Explosives dogs. Photo credits: Ukrinform

The Armed Forces also received several special drones that will help detect mines and other explosive devices.

Recall that Militarnyi reported on developing the Ukrainian ST1 UAV, which is designed to search for mines.

The estimated cost of the European project, which will last until 2025, is 3 million euros.

It is reported that the European Commission will transfer 50 specially trained sapper dogs to Ukraine. The first group of nine sapper dogs was already transferred to Ukraine in March 2023.