UkSATSE: operating on a war footing

Ukrainian State Air Traffic Service Enterprise (UkSATSE) was established in December 1992. It aims to provide safe, efficient air navigation services in Ukrainian airspace and in the airspace over the high seas where the country is responsible for providing air traffic services under international agreements.

Kyiv-headquartered UkSATSE also plays a crucial role in the Integrated Civil-Military Air Traffic Management System of Ukraine. By the beginning of 2022, it was responsible for four regional control centres and 17 air traffic control towers across Ukraine.

How did you prepare for the Russian invasion?

On February 24, 2022, Russia launched a full-scale offensive against Ukraine. UkSATSE was prepared for the attack. Well in advance, operational personnel at ATM centres and the Ukrainian Airspace Management and Planning Center (UKRAEROCENTER) were thoroughly trained. This included co-ordination of tasks with military control units of the Armed Forces of Ukraine. Exercises covered scenarios such as the closing of Ukrainian airspace, responding to threats like ballistic missiles, drones, and fighter attacks, and optimising flight diversions in the direction of adjacent flight information regions (FIRs). Airspace management scenarios such as dynamic airspace sharing were also planned for.

What is the current state of aviation infrastructure in Ukraine? 

The air navigation infrastructure has been severely affected by the war. Our daily work now includes the restoration of essential infrastructure facilities.

We are focusing on two main areas. The first is preservation. Our main goal is to preserve aeronautical infrastructure, retain highly qualified operational specialists and core staff. Given our limited financing, this is a very challenging task in wartime.

The second is recovery – being prepared for a speedy recovery after the abolition of martial law. UkSATSE, in close co-operation with EUROCONTROL, has developed an action plan for ANS recovery in the airspace of Ukraine, as well as UkSATSE’s ANS recovery concept of operations.

In addition, since 2023, our specialists have been involved in EU-funded projects implemented under the patronage of the SESAR [Single European Sky ATM Research] Deployment Manager.

How are you maintaining levels of training?

It is essential that we maintain the practical skills of controllers even in the absence of civil aviation flights. Simulator training takes place at least once every two months. Further training has been provided at institutions such as the Federal Aviation Administration, the French Civil Aviation School (École nationale de l’aviation civile, or ENAC), Entry Point North academy in Madrid and EUROCONTROL’s Maastricht Control Centre. We are also negotiating supplementary training arrangements with ANSPs in the USA, Romania, Poland, Lithuania, and the UK.

Tell me about your partnership with ROMATSA

On November 3, 2023, we signed a Memorandum of Co-operation with Adrian Cojoc, head of ROMATSA, the Romanian Air Traffic Services Administration. This memorandum covers, among other things, additional training for Ukrainian controllers (three 14-strong groups of UkSATSE ATCOs have undertaken the training in 2024) and co-ordination between the ANSPs at the operational level. It also provides a basis for improving the interoperability of our ATC systems and implementation of free route airspace.

In addition, we agreed to jointly apply elements of the safety management system in accordance with the requirements of international aviation standards. In terms of information security, we agreed on procedures for preventing cyberattacks and illegal interference.

What does the European ATM Voluntary Solidarity Fund mean to UkSATSE?

I believe the continued existence of the air navigation system of Ukraine is due to the European ATM Voluntary Solidarity Fund.

The integrity of Ukraine’s air navigation system has been our top priority since the outset of the invasion. Despite stringent cost-cutting measures, including the temporary suspension of employment contracts for all categories of personnel, the loss of ANS charges while civil flights were suspended and the limited funds available from the state, have meant that securing funding to maintain the operational status of the ANS infrastructure and support our core staff has been a real challenge.

The European ATM Voluntary Solidarity Fund, established under the aegis of EUROCONTROL in 2022 and extended through 2024, has therefore become the sole source of financing for personnel costs, training, competency support, and essential operational expenses of the Ukrainian air navigation system. This funding is vital as it ensures readiness, after the abolition of martial law, for fast recovery of the services in the airspace that constitutes 10% of the entire European ATM network.

Furthermore, over the last two years, EUROCONTROL member states decided to allow EUROCONTROL to utilise unused 2021 budgetary credits to cover the remainder of Ukraine’s 2022 membership contributions and to use 2022 budgetary credits to cover the full amount of Ukraine’s 2023 contributions, amounting to €3.8m and €4.0m respectively. That, together with the aforementioned 2024 full membership contribution, comes to €10.5m. This support was essential as it allowed Ukraine to continue to benefit from all EUROCONTROL services, including those vital during the war, such as training and competency support for UkSATSE staff, and collaboration in the planning of the post-war ANS recovery.

How do you envisage the post-war restart of ANS provision?

Our recovery plan was developed and approved by the State Aviation Administration of Ukraine on May 30, 2022. It’s designed to ensure a swift resumption of UkSATSE’s services.

A common action plan (involving EUROCONTROL) was signed in Brussels on November 24, 2022, outlining specific measures for the recovery of ANS in Ukrainian airspace. Since March 2023, UkSATSE experts have been seconded to EUROCONTROL, where they are working under the coordination of a dedicated EUROCONTROL/UkSATSE task force responsible for reintegration of the Ukrainian ANS into the global aviation network after the war. It also initiated several processes focused on operational personnel training and the development of a future ANS recovery concept of operations (CONOPS). We are also developing a safety case, which will present structured safety arguments demonstrating compliance with risk management requirements during the restoration of ANS.

UkSATSE is working with FAA to facilitate training for ATCOs, flight inspections of communications, navigation and surveillance (CNS) equipment, and improvements in radar coverage.

At the behest of the Ukrainian Government, an alternative scenario for resuming civil aircraft operations in Ukrainian airspace was formulated. This envisions the resumption of civil aircraft operations before the cessation of martial law and hostilities.

What are your infrastructure restoration priorities and how can the wider industry help?

An estimated $230m is needed for full restoration of the Ukrainian ANS system. The UkSATSE-developed recovery programme includes priority recovery projects (the recovery of ANS in a minimum configuration, with a limited number of routes and airports), lasting for one to two years; second-stage projects, which will take two to five years and involve the extension of ANS to a larger but still limited part of airspace and more airports; and long-term projects, namely the recovery of ANS services in Ukraine to pre-war scope and capacity. This will take at least four years.

The process of seeking funding for air navigation infrastructure recovery was initiated in 2022 and continues on a permanent basis.

UkSATSE would benefit from various types of support, including grants/donations, in-kind contributions of equipment and materials, and the sharing of technologies and expertise.