Ukrainian and German defence ministers have jointly announced the launch of the newly established Electronic Warfare (EW) Coalition.
A total of 10 nations, including Ukraine, have joined the initiative which aims to meet the current electronic warfare needs of the Ukrainian army and also establish a foundation for the long-term development of these capabilities. The Coalition’s activities will encompass the procurement of equipment, personnel training, and the development of policies and doctrines within the realm of electronic warfare.
Meanwhile, the Ukrainian Armed Forces have publicly presented its Tryzub combat laser system for the first time. Announced in 2024, imagery of the Tryzub, named after the country’s trident symbol, was shown at a European defence industry conference entitled “Prospects for Cooperation with the Ukrainian Defence Industry”. Videos depicting the system disabling an FPV drone using a directed energy beam followed across Ukrainian military and news social media accounts.
The system is designed to neutralise attack drones, aerial bombs, cruise missiles, and ballistic missiles at a range of up to 3,000 metres. Some defence media report that the system can engage larger or faster targets such as helicopters, aircraft, and reconnaissance drones at up to 5,000 metres and blind optical sensors within a 10-kilometre radius.
On April 11, the Ukrainian Ministry of Defence revealed a series of air defence and other equipment support initiatives from European countries.
For example, Germany will deliver four IRIS-T air defense systems and 300 interceptor missiles in 2025. Germany will also provide 30 missiles for the Patriot system, 15 Leopard 1 tanks, 25 Marder infantry fighting vehicles, and an additional 100,000 artillery shells. In total, additional aid through 2029 will amount to EUR 11 billion. The United Kingdom will provide GBP 450 million in assistance, including hundreds of thousands of drones, radar systems, and maintenance services for previously supplied equipment. Norway has contributed GBP 100 million to finance the aid package announced by the United Kingdom; it also announced EUR 1 billion in assistance, including for ammunition and air and missile defence. The Netherlands is allocating EUR 150 million to enhance Ukraine’s air defence. In an April 14 announcement, the Ukrainian Ministry of Defence reported a USD 1.6 billion assistance package from Sweden, to include air defence and satellite communications.
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Image: Signing the EW Coalition agreement (Ukraine Ministry of Defence)
