Ukraine seeks removal of Starshield speed limits in talks with SpaceX and Pentagon – Flash
Ukraine is negotiating with SpaceX, the Pentagon and the U.S. government to lift Starshield speed restrictions affecting its drones, while Kyiv has received no explanation for the timing, presidential adviser Serhii Beskrestnov told The Associated Press on Oct. 18.
Ukraine is engaged in discussions with SpaceX, the Pentagon, and the US government to lift speed restrictions on its Starshield satellite service, which impacts its drones and helicopters. These restrictions, implemented early Thursday morning without warning, limit Starshield's speed to 160 kilometers per hour, impacting the internet connection of Ukrainian military drones.
This new limitation puts Ukrainian drones at greater risk, as Russian forces can now more easily intercept them. The restrictions also hinder Ukrainian helicopters used to track Russian propeller-driven drones. Ukrainian officials are uncertain about who makes these decisions and what factors influence them. Additionally, Starshield serves a morale boost for Ukrainian troops, as it enables communication with their families.
Options under consideration include switching to a separate Starshield aviation plan without speed limits or pressing for the removal of the limit under the current plan. Despite the ongoing negotiations, Ukraine is unsure about the outcome of these discussions.
Written by urgent.news from New Voice of Ukraine's reporting — not their text. Machine-written — may contain errors; check the original before relying on it.
