Ukraine received ALTO NG aircraft - will they be used to shoot down Russian "Shaheds"
Kyiv • UNN
The Ukrainian Air Force received 10 Czech ALTO NG training aircraft. They cannot be used to shoot down Shahed drones due to the lack of weapons and detection systems.
The Ukrainian Air Force has received 10 new Czech-made ALTO NG training aircraft. Although these aircraft can reach speeds sufficient to pursue Shahed-type kamikaze drones, using them as drone interceptors in their current form is impossible, writes UNN citing Defense Express.
Details
Ukraine received the ALTO NG within the framework of the Air Force Capabilities Coalition with the support of the Czech government and the Dárek pro Putina charitable foundation. These are modern two-seat training aircraft from Direct Fly, designed for basic and advanced training of cadets.
The aircraft is equipped with a digital cockpit, has good visibility, is easy to operate, and is economical to maintain. In addition, it can be equipped with the Galaxy GRS whole-aircraft emergency parachute system.
Can ALTO NG shoot down Shaheds
As Defense Express notes, the maximum speed of the ALTO NG is about 260 km/h, and the cruising speed is 180 km/h. Theoretically, this is enough to catch up with Shahed-type attack drones.
However, the aircraft is not equipped with air target detection systems, does not have an optoelectronic targeting station, weapon hardpoints, or a sighting system. Therefore, using it to intercept drones in its standard configuration is impossible. The most experts allow is potential adaptation of the aircraft for use with anti-aircraft drones after significant modernization.
Why these aircraft are important for Ukraine
The publication emphasizes that the main task of the ALTO NG is training future military pilots. Given Ukraine's plans to significantly increase its fleet of modern combat aircraft, the need for high-quality training of new pilots will only grow.
Training one military pilot takes years and costs millions of dollars, so the arrival of new training aircraft is an important step for the development of the Ukrainian Air Force.