The Ukrainian Air Force Will Soon Be Armed With Modern F-15 and F-16 Fighter Jets |
International Military - Previously refused, now the US is ready to work on the donation of F-15 and F-16 aircraft to the Ukrainian Air Force. $100 million was approved under the National Defense Authorization Act [NDAA] 329-101 to train Ukrainian pilots to operate American aircraft.
The decision also came from the DPR. Kyiv did ask for the delivery of the plane from the start. In fact, the two pilots had met with the US Congress to discuss this.
Quoted from Bulgarian Military, it is likely that the US will change the type of military equipment supplied to Ukraine by the end of the year. Rep. Adam Kinzinger, R-Ill. talked to Kyiv and it was he who added $100 million as an amendment to the defense authorization bill.
Kinzinger said it was now clear to the rest of the world that when the war ended, Ukraine would be armed with Western weapons. The training of Ukrainian pilots that would logically lead to the delivery of American fighter jets is the message to complete the process.
To date, Ukraine has received several Soviet-era jets. Slovakia accepted the Czech Republic's offer to defend Slovak airspace. The country eventually donated its entire fleet of 12 MiG-29 fighters to Ukraine.
Shortly after the start of the war, Poland was willing and ready to transfer MiG-29s to the Ramstein base in Germany. However, no agreement was reached between Washington and Warsaw.
According to US sources, future training of Ukrainian pilots will most likely take place at two American bases. Those bases are bases in Columbus, Mississippi, and one base in Texas.
However, whether the US will train Ukrainian pilots to fly F-15s and F-16s and whether Ukraine will receive Western planes depends on the Senate, which in September will pass the amendments or its own version of the defense bill.
As is known, in June it was reported that two fighter pilots from the Ukrainian Air Force traveled to Washington, DC. The trip was aimed at urging the US Congress to provide the hardware they desperately need, including fourth-generation fighter jets.
Quoted from the Eurasian Times, the pilot met with lawmakers behind closed doors to discuss what was needed in the short and long term. "They sent their jets and attack helicopters at low altitude through the front line to attack our war fighters in the trenches," said Juice, one of the pilots. "We need to react. We need to intercept them. We need to save the lives of our citizens and ground troops."
Juice said air defense was Ukraine's top priority. Moreover, it is known that Russia has indeed failed to achieve its air superiority.
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