UKRAINE: MANPADS ACQUISITION FOR COUNTERMEASURES

S E C R E T KYIV 001104 SIPDIS SIPDIS DEPT ALSO FOR PM/WRA, EUR/UMB, EUR/PRA E.O. 12958: DECL: 05/10/2017 TAGS: MARR MOPS PREL PARM NATO PINR US UP SUBJECT: UKRAINE: MANPADS ACQUISITION FOR COUNTERMEASURES DEVELOPMENT -- UKRAINE'S WRITTEN RESPONSE REF: A. KYIV 751 ¶B. KYIV 210 ¶C. KYIV 163 ¶D. STATE 5539 Classified By: Political Counselor Kent Logsdon for reasons 1.4(b,c,d) ¶1. (S) Ukrainian MFA provided the written response May 9 of the Ukrainian government position previewed ref A to the U.S. request for a mixture of 500 Igla-1 and 1,000 Igla MANPADS missiles for countermeasures development (ref C). In a nutshell, the reply states that such MANPADS missiles are still in the Ukrainian Armed Forces' active inventory and therefore no excess missiles are available to be provided to the U.S. (unofficial MFA translation in para 2). We expressed our disappointment, but noted that nonetheless a team was planning to arrive in Kyiv the week of May 14 to explore further possibilities for U.S.-Ukrainian cooperation in this area. ¶2. (C) Begin text of Ukrainian MFA non-paper. Unofficial translation Confidential -- Releasable to the U.S. Government SIPDIS Regarding the transfer of the Ukrainian MANPADS to the United States Ukraine highly appreciates the cooperation with the United States in the Multinational Forces in Iraq in the past. As well as the United States, we are concerned that these forces are vulnerable to attack from man-portable air defense systems (MANPADS). In February 2007, the U.S. Government approached the Government of Ukraine with the request to transfer to the U.S. 1,500 MANPADS (1,000 Igla and 500 Igla-1) for testing of the countermeasure systems which are being developed for civilian aviation protection. However, such types of MANPADS will be in service of the Armed Forces of Ukraine till 2011 and, therefore, could not be sold. At the same time, Ukraine would like to cooperate with the US in seeking the other opportunities of collaboration in the sphere of aviation protection, specifically, by possible use of the Ukrainian electro-optical suppression stations which are in service of the Armed Forces of Ukraine since 2005 and now are being adapted for use in civilian aircraft. End text. ¶3. (U) Visit Embassy Kyiv's classified website: www.state.sgov.gov/p/eur/kiev. Taylor