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Tuesday, 25 August 2026dailybeirut.com
World
Ukraine has integrated the domestically produced 79K6 Pelikan radar into its air defense network, capable of detecting drones and missiles up to 400 kilometers away and deploying or packing up in just 30 minutes.
In a war marked by successive waves of Russian drones and missiles, early detection of airborne threats has become critical—providing Ukrainian air defenses with vital extra seconds or minutes to assess, prepare, and engage. The Ukrainian military has recently begun operational use of the 79K6 Pelikan radar, a homebuilt system designed to detect and track aerial targets at ranges extending to 400 kilometers.
According to French newspaper Le Parisien—citing Ukrainian defense platforms Defense Express and United24—the Pelikan combines extended detection range with full mobility and rapid setup capability, making it a pivotal component of Ukraine’s layered air defense architecture. The radar weighs approximately 17 metric tons and can be fully deployed or folded within 30 minutes, enabling continuous repositioning rather than static, fixed-site operation.
This mobility is tactically decisive on the battlefield: once a radar’s location is exposed, it becomes a high-value target. By avoiding permanent emplacement, the Pelikan significantly reduces its vulnerability to precision strikes.
A video released by the Ukrainian Air Force on Facebook shows a Pelikan operator demonstrating the system’s functionality—highlighting its ability to identify airborne threats and transmit real-time tracking data across Ukraine’s integrated air defense network. The footage confirms the radar’s capacity to detect Shahed-type attack drones, as well as cruise and ballistic missiles—platforms that differ markedly in flight characteristics and trajectories.
Upon receiving an activation order from command headquarters, Pelikan operating teams immediately begin scanning their assigned sector for any airborne object. Their core mission is to identify potential threats as quickly as possible and relay fused sensor data to other elements of Ukraine’s air defense grid.
Le Parisien underscores that operator reaction speed is a decisive factor during Russian air raids. Faster detection translates directly into more time for air defense units to accurately evaluate threat parameters, coordinate response protocols, and attempt interception.
As reported by Le Parisien, one Pelikan operator emphasized an additional key function: “Another mission no less important is tracking our own aircraft.” The system provides precise location and movement data for Ukrainian military aircraft, supporting positive identification of friendly forces and reducing the risk of fratricide.
United24 reports that the 79K6 Pelikan was developed and manufactured by Iskra Research and Production Enterprise, a company under Ukraine’s state-owned defense conglomerate UkrOboronProm.
Le Parisien describes the Pelikan as emblematic of Ukraine’s technical approach to protracted aerial attrition warfare—its long sensing range delivers precious seconds or even minutes for response, while its rapid relocation capability ensures survivability. The integration of far-reaching surveillance with battlefield flexibility reflects the dual imperatives of modern air defense: not only detecting incoming threats but also protecting the detection asset itself from being targeted.
