But we are having meeting our own pilot training requirements. How long will the Ukrainians have to spend on holding postings?

Probably a translation error ....maybe he has agreed to train UK pilots! :E

I've got a great, if slightly, mischievous headline for Private Eye magazine....

"Zelensky offers to train RAF pilots" with handshake and a beaming CAS.

You're welcome.

622...looks like you got there first!

"Our western leaders sicken me and I have no longer have any trust in them whatsoever."
"How on earth are we going to do that?"
"He considers the west weak and we're proving him right!"
"But we are having trouble meeting our own pilot training requirements. How long will the Ukrainians have to spend on holding postings?"

What a bunch of wet willy responses. The UK has been at the forefront of providing political, economic, humanitarian and military since all this started and is continually being ratcheted up, yet you offer nothing but ignorant knee-jerk criticism and negativity. Whose side are you on?

Ukrainian counter attack?

Ukraine pulled off forces for a counterattack in the Luhansk region, said acting Head of the occupied Luhansk region and collaborator Pasechnik.

"The situation is certainly very complicated. And it concerns not only Svatove and Kreminna, this is also Lysychansk, Rubizhne and Troitske. In fact, these are large settlements that are close to the line of combat contact. To our regret, the enemy accumulates sufficient reserves there, forces to counterattack to return the lost territories. it's complicated," he said.

Extract from the DT (paywall)
"Despite the much reported delays in the UK military flying training system, there are some relatively quick and simple ways to train pilots on the systems and weapons that NATO employs without further impact or delay. Although each aircraft type is different, the system and weapon basics are approximately 80 per cent common, so read-across is relatively straightforward. London’s offer could encompass postgraduate type training. The UK has facilities that do this routinely and provides some of the best, if not the best, weapons instructor training in the world. So not only would this be of the highest quality and value, it would not have any impact on UK capability or training. This could be done largely through simulation that either replicates specific types of jet, or emulates the most common displays, symbology and mechanics of weapon employment in what are known as part task trainers. While there could well be a longer term offer for actual, and more basic, flying training, the priority now should be to train experienced or recently qualified pilots on the newer systems and modern tactics that NATO employs, in preparation for a future aircraft transfer.

To be crystal clear this is not a portent that UK aircraft types will follow; the training provided would be easily transferable to any modern type. I still hold the view that F16s offer the most complete solution for Ukraine because of their availability, multi role capability and the large number of potential donor nations. The UK training could easily emulate that aircraft and the tactics and weapons it might use. Many commentators have said that the time it takes to train on such a platform is a limiting factor and a reason to argue against it. This offer de-risks that significantly by starting the process of training as early as possible.

Many in the gaming community already enjoy their evenings in the cockpit of an F16 in the comfort of their own home, and in these terms this offer may not differ that much from the relatively sophisticated set ups now achievable commercially. Instead, the real value could be some of the best training and air combat knowledge in the world. The RAF isn’t just the oldest independent air force; person for person it remains one of the very best, and its postgraduate warfare training, which doesn’t make the news, is world renowned. With this offer, Ukraine could have its very own virtual “Top Gun” school – and we know how that story turns out. "

Author: Greg Bagwell CB CBE is a retired Air Marshal and combat pilot. He was the UK’s Air Commander for four years and is current President of the Air and Space Power Association

And with all they are going through....... KUDOS to them :ok:

He is meaning all, and is not targetting the UK

In my case, I'm firmly on the side of Ukraine. A lot more so than many western politicians who dragged their feet for so many months that Russia is again on the front foot! It's not all about Britain you know!

Zelensky visiting Paris tonight
 

Le Figaro has just published a flash announcement that Zelensky will fly to Paris this evening after leaving London. In the way politicos play these things, that might well mean some good news for him.

https://www.lefigaro.fr/internationa...paris-20230208

There was also a readers' poll in today's edition: Should France send more military aid to Ukraine ? 53% YES /47% NO

Scholz will fly to Paris to meet him as well.

Macron 1, Scholz nil in the p1ssing competition.

I don't think Scholz is in a pissing competition. Maybe Macron is given the French tank delivery early announcement last time?

Now that UK is not in EU, the p1ssing competition has been simplified. It started a long time before Waterloo.

Today's announcement about Fighter Pilots seems rather vague, if we're going to train Ukrainian Fighter Pilots, on what aircraft will that be? I don't think there is much spare capacity with a tiny handful of Hawk T2s an no give in the RAF/RN Frontline. I was surprised that the 14 Challengers will be taken out of the inventory after the latest round of defence dismantling has been applied. I just can't understand why the difference in the balance between the 148 Challengers to be left and the near a hundred already to be withdrawn which will leave a figure of 148, can't be sent to Ukraine? Unless these have already been placed beyond reach?!?!?!

FB

I am 100% all in for giving UKR jets...but which ones? Do the RAF have 'serviceable' Tornados in storage? Would it be Typhoon? Is there anything else?

There's a fleet of Hawk T1's at Waddington that can be fitted with ADEN cannons...

. BREAKING: UK defence minister has been tasked with investigating what jets that we may "be able to provide to Ukraine", UK PM Sunak's spokesperson - Reuters

Could the hawk be fiitted for brimstone. hmm, if only we had something like a hawk, but slightly bigger, more Power.. STOL perhaps, wired for Many brimstone's.
10 months ago they could have been sourced. all im saying. lol

50 odd Jaguars at Cosford.

22 GR1's (Most still in RAFG Squadron Markings)
2 GR1A's
2 T2's
3 T2A's
2 GR3's
23 GR3A's
3 T4's

Most of the GR3's were almost life ex on airframe hours and the last time an engine was run on any of them was around 7 years ago. All the Dash 10 ECM pods are gone due to ITAR and BAe don't support the aircraft anymore (but RR and MB do thanks to the India's still operating the type)..