08-04-2024, 07:54 AM
https://www.yahoo.com/news/ukraine-final...44686.html
It is now "official". Ukraine has a small number of jets operational inside Ukraine. How many we do not know. IMO their first use will be shooting down drones and cruise missiles well inside Ukraine. We should look for that in the press. One never knows though, as Ukraine often is quite ambitious in utilizing new capabilities. Ukraine has been attacking SAM sites inside Crimea, in fact deep inside Crimea. Why? One answer is to get drones through, but given the low altitude drones utilize things like S-400s are only capable of point defense with a small radius. Not of themselves a "priority" target. Another answer is that Ukraine intends to use its F-16s deep into Crimea fairly soon. That would be a real shock to everybody, particularly the Russians :-). The weather will eventually be an issue. Although the F-16 is not just a fair weather aircraft operations are always inhibited by bad weather. Lets hope Ukraine can get "up to speed" before the weather starts to inhibit the process.
Ukraine is also pushing for neighboring nations to shoot down missiles fired by Russia into Ukraine. I think there is no chance at all this will ever happen. Ukraine shouldn't waste its time and influence on this effort. While Poland probably has the means and desire to help Ukraine in this effort Poland realizes that the rest of NATO steadfastly opposes getting directly involved in the war. Poland knows if it does this Russia will retaliate. Poland also knows an Article 5 invocation wouldn't succeed because Poland would be rightly viewed as the instigator of the Russian response. None of the other bordering nations would be willing (Hungary, Slovakia) or able (everybody else) to aid in the effort. Zelenskyy should save his efforts for thing he can actually get. A big "get" would be active US support for the F-16 effort. We are still not anywhere near fully behind this effort.
It is now "official". Ukraine has a small number of jets operational inside Ukraine. How many we do not know. IMO their first use will be shooting down drones and cruise missiles well inside Ukraine. We should look for that in the press. One never knows though, as Ukraine often is quite ambitious in utilizing new capabilities. Ukraine has been attacking SAM sites inside Crimea, in fact deep inside Crimea. Why? One answer is to get drones through, but given the low altitude drones utilize things like S-400s are only capable of point defense with a small radius. Not of themselves a "priority" target. Another answer is that Ukraine intends to use its F-16s deep into Crimea fairly soon. That would be a real shock to everybody, particularly the Russians :-). The weather will eventually be an issue. Although the F-16 is not just a fair weather aircraft operations are always inhibited by bad weather. Lets hope Ukraine can get "up to speed" before the weather starts to inhibit the process.
Ukraine is also pushing for neighboring nations to shoot down missiles fired by Russia into Ukraine. I think there is no chance at all this will ever happen. Ukraine shouldn't waste its time and influence on this effort. While Poland probably has the means and desire to help Ukraine in this effort Poland realizes that the rest of NATO steadfastly opposes getting directly involved in the war. Poland knows if it does this Russia will retaliate. Poland also knows an Article 5 invocation wouldn't succeed because Poland would be rightly viewed as the instigator of the Russian response. None of the other bordering nations would be willing (Hungary, Slovakia) or able (everybody else) to aid in the effort. Zelenskyy should save his efforts for thing he can actually get. A big "get" would be active US support for the F-16 effort. We are still not anywhere near fully behind this effort.