November 7,
2008: For the last ten years, Western firms have been installing modern air
defense communications systems all over Eastern Europe (Czech Republic,
Hungary, Poland, Slovakia, Slovenia, Lithuania, Latvia, Estonia, Bulgaria and
Romania.) In addition, dozens of new Western surveillance radars have been
installed as well. The communications systems enable air defense commanders to
see a complete picture of what all the radars military (and many civilian)
surveillance radars can see. These systems also provide voice and data links,
as well as integrating air defenses (both ground based and aircraft.) For the new NATO members in
Eastern Europe, these systems also enable them to plug into the NATO air
defense system.
This sort of
thing doesn't get much publicity, but it is very important in terms of safe air
travel (especially when military aircraft are training) and in keeping track of
intruders. The Western systems are much superior to the stuff the Russians
developed during the Cold War. This was made clear in 1987, when a German
teenager flew a single engine civilian aircraft through Russia and landed in
Red Square in Moscow. Several Russian generals and defense officials were
fired, but the damage was already done to the reputation of Russian air
defenses.
