Syrskyi approves Concept for Development of Missile Forces and Artillery of Armed Forces of Ukraine until 2030

Commander-in-Chief of the Armed Forces of Ukraine Oleksandr Syrskyi has approved the Concept for the Development of the Ukrainian Armed Forces’ Missile Forces and Artillery through 2030. Syrskyi announced this on Facebook, according to the Ukrainian News agency.

"I have approved the Concept for the Development of the Missile Forces and Artillery of the Armed Forces of Ukraine, which defines the main directions for the development of the capabilities of these branches of the military in the medium term—until 2030," he said.

Syrskyi noted that the Armed Forces of Ukraine operate one of the widest ranges of artillery systems in the world, use nearly all existing types of ammunition, and gain invaluable experience every day in fighting an enemy that outnumbers them.

He emphasized that artillery remains an integral element of the modern battlefield, and one of its key advantages is the ability to respond quickly to threats and changes in the situation. At the same time, there are a number of factors that negatively impact the effectiveness of rocket forces and artillery. First and foremost, these include a critical dependence on the supply of weapons and ammunition from partners, complex logistics,related to the large number of different types of systems, the limited range of certain weapons, and a shortage of artillery reconnaissance assets.

According to him, the Concept for the Development of Missile Forces and Artillery takes all these factors into account, as well as combat experience, projected trends in weapons development, and possible changes in how they are used.

Syrskyi noted that the core of the Ukrainian Armed Forces’ artillery units’ equipment should consist of domestically produced models, and that worn-out Soviet-caliber artillery systems, which cannot be modernized or repaired, will be gradually phased out of service.

At the same time, it is planned to retain units equipped with the most modern foreign-made artillery systems within the armed forces; furthermore, further optimization of the artillery arsenal is planned.

The Commander-in-Chief noted that modern warfare has proven that the effectiveness of artillery directly depends on the quality of reconnaissance and the speed of information transmission; therefore, one of the key priorities of the Concept is the creation of a modern artillery reconnaissance system.

Syrskyi noted that a separate focus of the Concept is the development of missile systems; Ukraine must build up its capabilities to deliver firepower across the entire operational-strategic and strategic depth of the enemy. To this end, the plan calls for the completion of development and subsequent serial production of domestic ballistic and cruise missiles; which, in combination with unmanned systems, will allow for the creation of a balanced long-range firepower system and ensure the destruction of targets at distances of up to 2,000 kilometers.

As the Ukrainian News agency earlier reported, President Volodymyr Zelenskyy previously stated that Ukraine needs more Patriot interceptor missiles.

Zelenskyy also stated that Ukraine wants to obtain licenses to manufacture missiles for the Patriot system.

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