UK awards Inzpire contract to train Ukrainian Air Force in NATO tactics

The UK has awarded a contract to Inzpire to train Ukrainian military personnel in aviation tactics and mission planning.

The contract on the government’s Find a Tender website says, “The Contractor will be required to deliver Air Warfare Education and Training (AWE&T) capability for the Ukrainian Air Force (UkrAF) on behalf of the Authority.”

It adds, “Air Tactics and Planning Course – Training Objectives, Development and Delivery. The contract will facilitate the delivery of approximately 20 weeks of training per year.”

The value of the contract is £502,440 excluding VAT and includes the right to additional purchases while the contract is valid.

Tactics and mission planning over ground control

The contract is designed to cover mission planning, air situation assessment, and in-flight decision-making. The focus is on aviation planning and tactics

The Ukrainian news outlet, Militarnyi, notes, “In the Soviet model, ground control played a significant role, whereas NATO doctrine places greater responsibility on crews for mission planning, situational assessment, and decision-making in the air.”

Another Ukrainian website, United24, writes, “This initiative is aimed at helping the Ukrainian Air Force transition away from legacy Soviet operational models toward NATO standards.”

The contract builds on efforts by the UK to train Ukrainian military personnel since 2014.

Since 2022, the UK has led a large coalition of countries (including Scandinavian countries, Australia, New Zealand, and others) to train tens of thousands of Ukrainian military personnel. While the UK doesn’t possess F-16 fighter jets, it is still part of the international crew training program for training Ukrainian pilots to operate them.

Inzpire: Britain’s mission planning specialist

Inzpire’s GECO software is used on British and export aircraft, while its instructors train military personnel from more than 25 European countries in areas like the planning of complex air operations, electronic warfare, and helicopter tactics.

The GECO software is described as “comprising a ground-based mission planning, rehearsal and debriefing system, and a ruggedised airborne tablet that includes a military electronic flight bag, as well as the ability to upload the GECO mission to cockpit systems.”

Inzpire has been a subsidiary of QinetiQ since 2026, and it specializes in military consulting, personnel training, and development of mission planning software.

Last week, ADS reported that the company has delivered the first Central Flying School (CFS)-endorsed remotely piloted aircraft system (RPAS) operator training course for the British Army at the Royal School of Artillery (RSA).

Inzipre has delivered more than 400 large-scale training events for the Royal Air Force and has provided tactical training in helicopter operations.