The key direction of Sternenko's work will be to increase the efficiency of the use of drones, in particular at the tactical level, and to radically change approaches to their procurement by the state.
The key direction of Sternenko's work will be to increase the efficiency of the use of drones, in particular at the tactical level, and to radically change approaches to their procurement by the state.
Volunteer and public figure Serhiy Sternenko told why he accepted the offer of Defense Minister Mykhailo Fedorov to join his team as an advisor.
According to the volunteer, he accepted the position because he wanted to not just criticize problems in the army, but also participate in solving them.
"I talk a lot about problems with drone procurement: regarding quality, delivery times, application. When they tell me: 'Let's help fix this,' I have to take on this responsibility," Sternenko noted during his stream.
Sternenko outlined three main vectors of his activities at the Ministry of Defense:
Procurement reform . The main goal is to change procurement criteria so that the state buys not the cheapest, but what really works.
Direct communication between the military and the ministry . Creating a system where the request is formed from below (from the pilots), and not from above. This will allow the ministry to hear the real needs of the front.
Scaling up the hits . Implementing the practices of the most effective units (which have 1,000–2,000+ confirmed hits) at the army-wide level. Sternenko called this an “industrial scale” approach to enemy destruction.
"The state will definitely purchase drones of better quality than now. It is necessary to form, in addition to price criteria, also quality criteria so that the military receives exactly what he needs and does not have to think about how to remake that drone," the advisor emphasized.
He also clarified that for now he will deal exclusively with tactical and operational-tactical level drones and will not be responsible for the direction of deep strikes (long-range strikes).
Forecasts and the Foundation's Work Sternenko does not promise immediate changes, noting that the resistance of the old system will be strong. According to his forecasts, the real results of the reforms in the Defense Forces will not be visible earlier than in six months.
At the same time, he remains in the status of an advisor, not a civil servant, to continue managing his charitable foundation.
"I can't leave the foundation, because without me the meetings will be cancelled at least twice. I can't afford to leave yet," he explained.
As a reminder, Mykhailo Fedorov appointed Serhiy Sternenko as an advisor on increasing the use of UAVs at the front.
"From now on, Serhiy will be my advisor on increasing the use of UAVs at the front. His experience will help us realize a shared vision of increasing the effectiveness of unmanned units," the Minister of Defense wrote.
Earlier, Serhiy Sternenko stated that, according to his team's estimates, about 60% of FPV drones that arrive at the Defense Forces under state order are "unusable at all or require serious modification."
