Ukrainian army ordered combat aircraft from Antonov, - General Staff

Ukraine's military-industrial complex has sufficient production and cooperation capacity to launch the manufacture of its own combat aircraft as well as to modernize and develop new air defense systems.

Deputy Chief of Armaments, Col Vladyslav Shostak said at Tuesday's briefing at the General Staff, Censor.NET reports citing Ukrinform.

"We have an order for the production of a combat aircraft. In particular, Antonov State Company [Ukrainian leading aircraft manufacturer - ed.] will be the contractor. As expected, the engines will be manufactured by Motor Sich [Ukrainian largest airplane and helicopter engine producer - ed.]," the representative of the General Staff said.

He noted that Ukraine considers the purchase of foreign-made equipment but gives preference to domestic ones.

According to the colonel, this is due to the complexity and high cost of infrastructure for technical support and maintenance of such equipment.

Shostak also recalled that Ukrainian companies are engaged in producing middle-range surface-to-air missile systems as well as upgrading the existing models, in particular S-125 (SA-3 Goa).

After asked whether the army has enough of such systems, he said: "the Russian side does not use its air power against Ukraine just because we have a sufficient number of anti-aircraft weaponry."