U. S. complains about Ukraine’s pressure to receive fighter jets
2023.02.19 12:27
U. S. complains about Ukraine’s pressure to receive fighter jets
By Kristina Sobol
Budrigannews.com – According to lawmakers, Ukrainian officials have urged members of the United States Congress to put pressure on President Joe Biden’s administration to send F-16 jetfighters to Kyiv. They claim that the aircraft would increase Ukraine’s ability to hit Russian missile units with rockets made in the United States.
During discussions between Ukrainian officials, including Foreign Minister Dmytro Kuleba, and Democrats and Republicans from the Senate and House of Representatives, the lobbying took place over the weekend on the sidelines of the Munich Security Conference.
Senator Mark Kelly, a former astronaut who flew U.S. Navy fighters in combat, told Reuters on Saturday evening, “They told us that they want (F-16s) to suppress enemy air defenses so they could get their drones” beyond Russian front lines.
When asked last month if he would approve Ukraine’s request for Lockheed-Martin-made F-16s, Biden responded, “no.”
On Sunday, U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken said that rather than providing fighter jets that require extensive training, the United States should concentrate on providing weapons that can be used immediately on the battlefield.
Blinken stated on ABC’s “This Week” that “the focus has to be on what will they be able to use and use effectively over the next few months, not the next few years.”
Members of both the Senate and the House sent four delegations to Europe’s premier security gathering, which was attended by the largest number of U.S. lawmakers since it began in 1963, demonstrating clear bipartisan support for Ukraine.
A few days before the February 24th anniversary of Russia’s invasion, the conference, which primarily addressed Ukraine, was held. After a series of Russian defeats, the two sides have been locked in bloody battles, mostly in the eastern Donbas.
Kelly and three other lawmakers who talked to Reuters about their talks with Ukrainian officials said they thought Congress was getting ready to give Ukraine F-16s, which are one of the most versatile multi-role jetfighters in the world.
The Ukrainian air force has modified American-made AGM-88 HARM air-to-surface rockets so that they can fire from MiG-29 jetfighters designed by the Soviet Union. The electronic transmissions from the radars of surface-to-air missile units are targeted by the rockets.
According to lawmakers, the Ukrainians claimed that if the rockets were fired using the more advanced avionics of the F-16, their pilots could more effectively target Russian S-300 and S-400 air defense missile units with the AGM-88.
Kelly stated, “They contended that they need that airplane for the SEAD mission (suppression of enemy air defenses).” They probably believe they can eliminate the S-400s more effectively.
He stated that Ukrainian pilots could be taught to perform “a limited number of things…in a few months,” despite the fact that mastering all F-16 capabilities requires at least a year of training.
On both sides of the Atlantic, there is growing support for providing Ukraine with cutting-edge jetfighters that meet the standard of the NATO. Britain claims to offer training.
However, ever since the war began, neither side has been willing to make significant use of its airpower.
According to Republican Senator Lindsey Graham, the Biden administration will soon agree to train Ukrainian pilots on F-16s, and the majority of American lawmakers support the idea.
He stated that he was unconcerned about the F-16s escalating the conflict. On ABC, he stated, “Don’t worry about provoking Putin; worry about beating him.”
Following agreements made last month to provide Kyiv with cutting-edge battle tanks, calls have been made to supply Ukraine with cutting-edge jetfighters.
Since the beginning of what Moscow refers to as its “special military operation,” Washington has provided Ukraine with roughly $30 billion in military assistance.
