Is Ukraine about to have a war?
9:52 BBC
He says gifting any fighter jets would potentially take months, and instead the UK would focus on using alternative methods of providing air cover to Ukraine, using long range missiles and drones. He dismisses as “unrealistic” Boris Johnson’s suggestions that the UK could provide 100 Typhoon warplanes, emphasising the type most likely to be sent was not equipped for ground attack.
He says that Typhoons are made by a coalition of different countries and their permission would be needed before the aircraft could be given to Ukraine.
Breaking Wallace rules out immediate transfer of jets to Ukraine
UK Defence Secretary Ben Wallace has told the BBC that there will be no immediate transfer of UK fighter jets to Ukraine.He says gifting any fighter jets would potentially take months, and instead the UK would focus on using alternative methods of providing air cover to Ukraine, using long range missiles and drones. He dismisses as “unrealistic” Boris Johnson’s suggestions that the UK could provide 100 Typhoon warplanes, emphasising the type most likely to be sent was not equipped for ground attack.
He says that Typhoons are made by a coalition of different countries and their permission would be needed before the aircraft could be given to Ukraine.
Netherlands, Belgium and Denmark are currently/in the next 12 -18 months retiring their entire F-16 fleets anyway. They are the obvious choice. Maintainable, simple, effective. I would not consider Tornado, Jaguar or even Typhoon tranche 1 suitable options, though. Too much maintenance headache for too little effect.
That said the question wether ~50 fighter aircraft will be very effective and survivable is a totally different and very legitimate question.
9:52 BBC
He says gifting any fighter jets would potentially take months, and instead the UK would focus on using alternative methods of providing air cover to Ukraine, using long range missiles and drones. He dismisses as “unrealistic” Boris Johnson’s suggestions that the UK could provide 100 Typhoon warplanes, emphasising the type most likely to be sent was not equipped for ground attack.
He says that Typhoons are made by a coalition of different countries and their permission would be needed before the aircraft could be given to Ukraine.
Breaking Wallace rules out immediate transfer of jets to Ukraine
UK Defence Secretary Ben Wallace has told the BBC that there will be no immediate transfer of UK fighter jets to Ukraine.He says gifting any fighter jets would potentially take months, and instead the UK would focus on using alternative methods of providing air cover to Ukraine, using long range missiles and drones. He dismisses as “unrealistic” Boris Johnson’s suggestions that the UK could provide 100 Typhoon warplanes, emphasising the type most likely to be sent was not equipped for ground attack.
He says that Typhoons are made by a coalition of different countries and their permission would be needed before the aircraft could be given to Ukraine.
If President Zelenskiy requires advice on his forces' needs, I would expect that his allies will offer it, free of charge. I really hope he is open to such advice.
Ecce Homo! Loquitur...
Ukraine has been fighting this war for over a year including their flying, and continuing to fly, CAS and SEAD over the FLOT.
As such they probably are mor3 aware of Russian capabilities and how to counter them than any country in NATO - and know what equipment they can use most productively to so.
When they say what they need, give it to them without the current 6 month lag where warriors are dying to hold the line.
What they absolutely don’t need is retired Cold War warriors sitting think tanks and armchairs second guessing them based on old intelligence guesses as to Russian equipment capabilities and tactics proved so comprehensively wrong so far.
As such they probably are mor3 aware of Russian capabilities and how to counter them than any country in NATO - and know what equipment they can use most productively to so.
When they say what they need, give it to them without the current 6 month lag where warriors are dying to hold the line.
What they absolutely don’t need is retired Cold War warriors sitting think tanks and armchairs second guessing them based on old intelligence guesses as to Russian equipment capabilities and tactics proved so comprehensively wrong so far.
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This agrees with a military expert I heard last night, explaining that tanks for Ukraine will be useless without top cover.
If President Zelenskiy requires advice on his forces' needs, I would expect that his allies will offer it, free of charge. I really hope he is open to such advice.
If President Zelenskiy requires advice on his forces' needs, I would expect that his allies will offer it, free of charge. I really hope he is open to such advice.
This is what a lot of the armchair quarterbacks here are missing IMO.
Jets aren't going to turn the tide of the war, sending jets will sadly mean more dead Ukr pilots.
The Russians are still operating effective IADS at the FLOT and in the occupied areas that is still claiming Ukr aviation to this day. A token handful of western FJs are not going to enable the Ukr to run proper SEAD missions.
What we should be focusing on is sending things that make a difference now.....manpads, tube and mlrs arty, armoured vehicles and most importantly ammunition.
Jets aren't going to turn the tide of the war, sending jets will sadly mean more dead Ukr pilots.
The Russians are still operating effective IADS at the FLOT and in the occupied areas that is still claiming Ukr aviation to this day. A token handful of western FJs are not going to enable the Ukr to run proper SEAD missions.
What we should be focusing on is sending things that make a difference now.....manpads, tube and mlrs arty, armoured vehicles and most importantly ammunition.
Don't often have positive things to say for Putin, but he has the nous to understand the significance of modern Western combat aircraft being supplied to Ukraine. You can see it in his increasingly hysterical threats of escalation and retaliation should this happen.
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Nothing on its own is going to turn the tide of the war, jets included, but good luck to Ukraine trying to wrestle back its territory without them.
Don't often have positive things to say for Putin, but he has the nous to understand the significance of modern Western combat aircraft being supplied to Ukraine. You can see it in his increasingly hysterical threats of escalation and retaliation should this happen.
Don't often have positive things to say for Putin, but he has the nous to understand the significance of modern Western combat aircraft being supplied to Ukraine. You can see it in his increasingly hysterical threats of escalation and retaliation should this happen.
Leopards within Syria? Sounds a bit strange to me. Wrong thread anyway.
Don't often have positive things to say for Putin, but he has the nous to understand the significance of modern Western combat aircraft being supplied to Ukraine. You can see it in his increasingly hysterical threats of escalation and retaliation should this happen.
Good. If he wants escalation, let's give it to him! I have said it several times now, it's time to stop pussyfooting around and hit him hard!
Good. If he wants escalation, let's give it to him! I have said it several times now, it's time to stop pussyfooting around and hit him hard!
Thanks!
How Leopards fared poorly in Syria, and how Turkey upgraded them with Ukrainian defensive kit.
https://www.thedrive.com/the-war-zon...ating-in-syria
How Leopards fared poorly in Syria, and how Turkey upgraded them with Ukrainian defensive kit.
https://www.thedrive.com/the-war-zon...ating-in-syria
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Exactly that. Many Western leaders have stated that Putin's invasion can not be allowed to succeed, so they must now provide the means to ensure that it does not.
Don't often have positive things to say for Putin, but he has the nous to understand the significance of modern Western combat aircraft being supplied to Ukraine. You can see it in his increasingly hysterical threats of escalation and retaliation should this happen.
Good. If he wants escalation, let's give it to him! I have said it several times now, it's time to stop pussyfooting around and hit him hard!
Good. If he wants escalation, let's give it to him! I have said it several times now, it's time to stop pussyfooting around and hit him hard!
Ecce Homo! Loquitur...
Summary:
“This might, conceivably, be worth it if it acted as the trigger for supplies of more operationally suitable and sustainable jets for Ukraine…..
If Typhoon Tranche 1 is the symbolic silver bullet required to unlock such a deal, then the UK government must understand the costs for RAF readiness and capability of doing so, and urgently fund replacement aircraft, spare parts kits, munitions and engineering specialists to alleviate the impact on the core of the UK’s combat air capability.“….
https://rusi.org/explore-our-researc...mbolic-gesture
Giving RAF Typhoons to Ukraine Would Be a Very Expensive Symbolic Gesture
“This might, conceivably, be worth it if it acted as the trigger for supplies of more operationally suitable and sustainable jets for Ukraine…..
If Typhoon Tranche 1 is the symbolic silver bullet required to unlock such a deal, then the UK government must understand the costs for RAF readiness and capability of doing so, and urgently fund replacement aircraft, spare parts kits, munitions and engineering specialists to alleviate the impact on the core of the UK’s combat air capability.“….
https://rusi.org/explore-our-researc...mbolic-gesture
Giving RAF Typhoons to Ukraine Would Be a Very Expensive Symbolic Gesture