Ukrainian Air Force

[LotusOmega375D]

Also worth noting that many of the key Russian targets are being hit by cruise missiles launched hundreds of miles away over the Caspian Sea. But despite crossing huge distances of Ukrainian airspace, many of them are still not getting intercepted by Ukrainian air defences. Are they just too difficult to track, since they fly too low?

[LotusOmega375D]

So which RAF warplanes would Liz Truss send to the Ukrainian Air Force? They don’t have the personnel, training, or ground support for any of our types do they, not that we have all that many to hand over anyway!

[LotusOmega375D]

Did anyone see that the Germans are supplying their IRIS-T missile system? I’m not familiar with it, but it seems to be an impressive jack-of-all trades weapon. Air-to-air, air-to-surface and surface-to-air, which is the version that the Ukrainians will be getting.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/IRIS-T

[LotusOmega375D]

So with the Ukrainian military making significant advances in the East, what is the situation in the air nowadays? Are there battlefield strikes by aircraft from either side, or are they keeping out if it? There’s a story here about HARM missiles possibly being fitted to the remaining Ukrainian MIG-29 and Su-27 fleet.

https://www.thedrive.com/the-war-zone/ukraines-su-...

[LotusOmega375D]

Thanks for that. Just looked up that Su-30 hit and saw that it was brought down by one of these old museum relics:

[LotusOmega375D]

Bit of video and interview with UAF MiG29 pilot here.

https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/av/world-europe-6346529...

[LotusOmega375D]

So now that even Germany is sending/authorising Leopard 2 tanks to Ukraine, why not give them the MiG-29s that some European countries offered last year. Or do they only want F-16s now?

[LotusOmega375D]

At least with the MiG-29s, they would just be replacing like with like, so they could be put into active service very quickly. I assume Russia is doing its best to replace the planes they have lost. Why is it necessary to make a big public announcement? Just let the Ukrainians come and get them on the quiet.

[LotusOmega375D]

Just been watching the news. Lots of talk about the UK sending fighter jets to Ukraine. Can’t see that myself. Now that the Tornadoes are all gone, that realistically only leaves Typhoons. Could the UAF operate and fly them? Surely that’s a long term bet at best? I say give them all the bloody MiG29s in Europe now, otherwise there might not be a Ukraine left to support.

[LotusOmega375D]

Poland is releasing some of their MiG-29s to Ukraine after all. Very limited publicity though, all things considered.

https://news.sky.com/story/poland-to-send-at-least...

Edit: 17.03.23. Now Slovakia also contributing all 13 of theirs.

Edited by LotusOmega375D on Friday 17th March 17:42

[LotusOmega375D]

Anyway, back on topic. Ukraine now has 4 more MiG-29s at their disposal, courtesy of Slovakia.

https://youtu.be/Cho-7Lsa8O8

[LotusOmega375D]

How do you think the UAF will get on with its Storm Shadow missiles? Apparently they cost about £2m each, so they had better not waste them. Hopefully we’ll soon start hearing about some key targets being destroyed.

[LotusOmega375D]

So, Biden has given the OK to train Ukrainian pilots on F16s and with it the agreement to potentially let America and other countries supply the planes. This could be a huge game changer in this war.