Insufficient Space-Based Intelligence Limit Ukraine’s Military Potential
Due to a lack of space-based intelligence support, the Ukrainian Armed Forces have been unable to fully harness the potential of advanced long-range systems such as HIMARS.
Former Commander-in-Chief of the Ukrainian Armed Forces and Ambassador to the United Kingdom, Valerii Zaluzhnyi, noted in his article for ‘Military’ that the absence of real-time information exchange from space significantly hampers the efficiency of Ukrainian military operations.
He pointed out that a major issue remains the lack of a centralized strategic intelligence management body and the underdeveloped systems for gathering, analyzing, and swiftly transmitting intelligence data.The process of obtaining and preparing data for targeted strikes required immediate, real-time sharing of intelligence, which the Ukrainian Defense Forces either lacked or could not effectively utilize due to delays and inefficiencies.
Zaluzhnyi emphasized that because of these communication gaps, systems like HIMARS could not operate at their full potential.
Subsequently, responding to Russian actions, the strategic importance of these systems decreased, yet their vital role in long-range precision strikes remains undeniable.
The absence of autonomous space-based reconnaissance capabilities leaves Ukraine in a state of dependency, unable to confidently conduct sudden, effective attacks, thus threatening its strategic security.
Zaluzhnyi also stressed that it is time Ukraine intensively explores space and adopts innovative technologies to strengthen its military capabilities.
He expressed support for the initiative to establish Space Forces by the end of the year, considering it a crucial step toward achieving technological superiority in all military domains, which is necessary for ensuring national security.