When is the KSF air fleet planned to be built?

The Kosovo Security Force still does not have a military air base. Even though the land of the former Gjakova airport is owned by the KSF and can be used as a base, Kosovo still does not have a military aviation.

Armament purchases for the Kosovo army, including helicopters, appear to be hindering Russia.

Russia's representative to the UN, Vasily Nebenzia, who at the last meeting of the UN Security Council, held last week, in addition to other disinformation about Kosovo, also mentioned our country's plans to purchase a helicopter.

"The announcement has been made about the transition to the final phase of the Kosovo Army, receiving materials from NATO countries, we are talking about drones, armored vehicles, anti-tank systems, artillery and other weapons. Their plans to purchase both air defense systems and helicopters are laying the foundation for the local defense industry," he said.

While in Kosovo, security experts have different opinions regarding this period of air base construction, the Ministry of Defense told KosovaPress that they are planning to build the KSF's air capabilities by 2028. Meanwhile, according to security experts, Kosovo should have its defense capabilities complete.

According to the director of "OCTOPUS", Arben Fetoshi, even though Kosovo is under the umbrella of NATO, whenever the opportunity arises for this mission to leave Kosovo, the KSF must complete its military air defense.

"If we refer to what is currently happening, with modern conflicts, when airstrikes and drone attacks have become a key element, as far as today's conflicts are concerned, without a doubt it is very important that Kosovo begins to build up the capacities of its air bases and in this sense, the creation of an air base would be the first step, which would enable Kosovo to complete its defense infrastructure. Despite the fact that we are now under the umbrella of NATO, through the KFOR mission, this does not mean that we should not develop our defense capacities, completing them with military air defense. Whenever circumstances are eventually created for the departure of this mission from Kosovo, Kosovo should have its defense capacities complete", said Fetoshi.

Meanwhile, security expert Avni Islami added that during the last war in the country, within the territory of Kosovo, but also Serbia, bombings came from military bases on Italian and Turkish aircraft.

According to Islam, Kosovo should currently focus mainly on military equipment for self-defense and in the near future, complete the military air base.

"Kosovo is surrounded by North Atlantic Alliance countries, with the exception of Serbia, in terms of rapid interventions, by means of aviation, so the aviation is close to the territory of Kosovo and I do not think that there is a military aviation base because we have seen that in the last war in Kosovo, the bombings that were carried out within the territory of Kosovo but also in Serbia, came from military bases on the planes of Italy, Turkey and other countries. Kosovo should focus mainly on military equipment for its own defense," Islami added.

And the Ministry of Defense, in a written response, said that once the air fleet capacity is built, the former Gjakova airport can be used for such purposes.

"The former Gjakova Airport is now the property of the KSF, and once the air fleet capacities are built, it can be used for such purposes. Of course, it is necessary as we plan to build the KSF's air capacities by 2028," it was said in a written response.

The Ministry of Defense was also asked about the base in Golesh, but they have not responded to the same until the publication of this article. /Kp/Telegrafi/