Ukraine’s air force spokesperson, Yurii Ihnat, welcomed the UK’s offer of training for air force pilots and said that Ukraine will need dozens of Western combat aircraft to prevail in the war against Russia. “We can start with a few squadrons; each includes 12 jets. If we have one, two or more squadrons, it would be the first step for pilots to adapt to this transition,” Ihnat told CNN. Ihnat also said the newest combat plane currently in Ukraine is 30 years old. Ukraine forces have SU-25 attack aircraft, Su-24 bomber aircraft, and Mig-29 and Su-27 fighter jets. They have even been adapted to use American HARM Anti-Radiation Missiles that hit the enemy’s air defense systems daily. But these HARM missiles don’t have the functionality and efficiency they would if they were on American aircraft or other Western aircraft.
The Ukrainian air force says it needs squadrons of Western jets.
Lockheed Martin F-16 flying in close formation