Ukraine flights one step closer as Leonardo and Enav help rebuild air traffic system
July 10, 2025
Leonardo, Enav, and Ukraine’s air navigation authority UkSATSE have signed a new agreement to help restore Ukraine’s civil air traffic control system.
Under the deal, Leonardo will provide five en-route primary radar systems and related equipment as a donation, forming the foundation for rebuilding Ukraine’s air surveillance capabilities.
Enav, Italy’s national air navigation service provider, will support the project with operational expertise and consultancy.
UkSATSE, as the end user, will oversee the system’s implementation on the ground.
This is the first concrete step in implementing Ukraine’s Air Traffic Management Restoration and Recovery Plan (UARRP).
Why does Ukraine need its air traffic management system restored?
Ukraine closed its airspace to commercial flights in February 2022, on the day of Russia’s full-scale invasion. Since then, no civilian aircraft have legally flown into, out of, or over Ukraine.
This has left the country’s entire civil aviation sector frozen, with no air traffic control, no commercial flights, and no passenger or cargo operations.
Many of Ukraine’s ATM assets – radars, communication links, navigation aids, control towers – have been damaged, destroyed, or made inoperable during the war.
Some infrastructure was directly targeted in missile or drone attacks, while others became collateral damage as frontlines shifted.
Even undamaged systems may now be unreliable due to power outages, cyber attacks, or maintenance lapses.
A new ATM system is the first step to restoring Ukraine flights
Even before 2022, parts of Ukraine’s ATM infrastructure were outdated and based on Soviet-era or early post-Soviet systems. In the west, modernisation had taken place, but the system still lacked compatibility with European ATM standards.
Setting up a modern, effective ATM system is the first step required before commercial flights can be restored. Airlines, insurers, and regulators will want to see the system is secure, functional and compliant before any flying can recommence.
Of course, the return of commercial flights over Ukraine hinges on more than just technical readiness. But rebuilding the backbone of air traffic management now ensures that, when the time comes, Ukraine won’t be starting from scratch. It will be ready to reconnect.
