15.06.2003 03:27
COMMUNICATIONS EQUIPMENT MANUFACTURERS STANDING AT THE PARTING

You don t have to be among the military to know that stable communication is crucial for a military operation to be a success. This is well realized by the Ukrainian Defense Ministry, that top-listed the development of communications and control equipment among its 2001 priorities which were later endorsed by the President of Ukraine. But in 2002 Ukraine proclaimed Euro-Atlantic integration, including attaining membership in NATO, its number-one foreign-policy objective. On the other hand, the country s military-industrial complex continues on its integration with Russia s. Communications equipment manufacturers, experts say, are not the first and, probably, not the last from among Ukrainian defense industry companies to have become hostages to politics.

But situation with communications technology is not that simple. The Ukrainian military are so far unable to settle that issue like their Polish counterparts did, having secured a $100-million loan. It is rumored that after arriving in Kuwait the Ukrainian anti-chemical warfare battalion had long been cut off from allied headquarters because of the lack of appropriate communications.

One way or another, there is no denying that for the Ukrainian army which now operates obsolete Soviet-made radio stations new NATO-standard communications technology is so far non-affordable. But the problem could be well tackled with by purchasing relatively inexpensive radio stations of the Russian design.

As maintained by Ukrainian communications technology manufacturers from the Radiopribor company in Zaporizhya, Russia s number-one communication equipment designer the Voronezh-based Research-and-Development Institute for Communications Technology is not only prepared for close engagement with Ukrainian counterparts but offers setting up a joint-venture business for shared manufacture of newly-designed stations of the Akveduk family, with the Ukrainian partner holding not only the design plans and specifications for the technology but also the authority to sell the technology to third countries. Radio stations of the Akveduk group that began coming to Russian army units as early as in the mid-1990 s have not become obsolete yet.

Radiopribor experts say the technology could hold a considerable export potential, but for one substantial drawback: it is not compatible with NATO s. That is why the Ukrainian Defense Ministry so far refrains from giving its go-ahead to such a move, which is effectively tantamount to a refusal to purchase the technology for the national military should the Ukrainian factory launch its manufacture. The Industrial Policy Ministry is slow to respond to the initiative as well.

But time marches on. Meanwhile, the Ukrainian military is getting itself prepared for new-generation wars, operating obsolete communications equipment.