Ukraine has signed a licensing agreement to use NATO's non-commercial Command and Reporting Center (CRC) System Interface software, which will allow its and the alliance's aircraft to coordinate operations within a unified digital system, Deputy Defence Minister Kateryna Chernohorenko announced on Friday.
The CSI software is a key component of NATO's Link-16 data exchange protocol, also known as the alliance's "military Wi-Fi," and will aid in the coordination and control of Western-supplied aircraft such as the F-16 and Mirage 2000, as well as integrated air and missile defence systems such as the Patriot.
Chernohorenko said these capabilities are provided to Ukraine as part of international military assistance.
Major step
“The implementation of this system ensures full interoperability with NATO partners. We are not just dreaming of joint operations — we are making them a reality,” Chernohorenko said in a statement on Facebook.
NATO has yet to issue a public statement on the development.
She applauded the Government Office for European and Euro-Atlantic Integration, the Ukrainian Defense Ministry, the General Staff of the Armed Forces, and the Air Force, as well as NATO partners, for their efforts to facilitate the agreement.
The CSI software is already in use by most NATO member states, and its deployment marks a major step in aligning Ukraine’s digital battle management capabilities with those of the alliance.
Ahead of NATO summit in Washington DC, about 61 foreign policy experts warn against moving Ukraine toward NATO membership, saying if Ukraine were to join the bloc, NATO-Russia war "or the unraveling of NATO itself" will be inevitable.
