Ukraine has started working on a comprehensive concept for the development of aviation, taking into account the transition to new types of aircraft. This was stated on May 24 by Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy after a meeting of the headquarters of the Supreme Commander-in-Chief.
“A new organizational structure, training of pilots and personnel, necessary infrastructure, logistics and more,” he said in his telegram channel.
The leader of Ukraine pointed out that during the meeting, representatives of the Department of Defense discussed the supply of ammunition to forward units and reserves.
“We analyzed existing and potential supply contracts and the dynamics of increasing our own production,†Zelenskyy said.
Ukraine is negotiating to provide it with military equipment, including F-16 fighter jets and the training of Ukrainian pilots.
Speaking at the G7 summit in Hiroshima, Zelenskyy expressed his gratitude for the decision to train pilots on modern fighter jets.
“The air shield can only be complete when air defense systems on the ground are supplemented by modern aircraft in the air. We are now on the way to closing the opportunity gap,†the Ukrainian president said.
He stressed that “when our pilots know about the F-16 and these machines appear in our skies, it will not matter only for Ukraine. It will be a historic moment for the entire security architecture in Europe and in the world.
Speaking about his recent visit to the UK, Zelenskyy said he had discussed with Prime Minister Rishi Sunak the possibility of supplying fighter jets to Ukraine.
“It is a very important subject for us because we cannot control the sky… We are partners and Rishi knows all the details of what is happening at the front. We want to create a coalition of fighters. We were talking about it. I am very positive. And, I think, in the near future you will hear about important decisions. But first we have to work a little, “said the head of Ukraine.
Rishi Sunak said following discussions with Zelenskyy: “We are going to open a new flight school in the UK, where Ukrainian pilots will be trained to fly different types of aircraft, which will allow them to better protect their citizens against Russian aggression”.
At the meeting of Defense Ministers of Ukraine and Great Britain, held in Kiev, the parties discussed the training of “Ukrainian servicemen on British territory.
“We had the opportunity to shake hands with pilots who studied in the UK and are already successfully using a weapon called Storm Shadow,†Ukrainian Defense Minister Oleksiy Reznikov said during a meeting with his colleague. British counterpart Ben Wallace.
“Now Russia is beginning to realize that Ukraine’s allies will be with her in her right to self-defense and will help Ukraine with all possible types of weapons, from anti-tank missiles to tanks, Storm Shadow, and now the F-16,†said the UK Defense Secretary.
In a May 23 video message, Volodymyr Zelenskyy stressed that “the main task of our state and the meaning of practically every one of our international communications is precisely to strengthen Ukraine, strengthen our defense, increase the capabilities of our soldiers and our state as a whole.
“Every foreign visit and almost every negotiation allows Ukraine to become stronger,” said the leader of Ukraine.
Oleksiy Melnyk, director of foreign policy and international security programs at the Razumkov Center, notes that preparatory work is also underway in Ukraine to develop a maritime strategy.
“The previous version was before the war. There are procedures, planned processes, and in war they have to be planned for the future. Why now? In the case of the aviation concept, there is a better understanding of the main aircraft type, and the concept documents must be modified for this,†Melnik points out.
He also points to the greater efficiency of the F-16 fighter jet compared to the types of fighters currently in service with Ukraine.
“We are talking, first of all, about the MIG-29, in something of the same type of fighter with the F-16. At a minimum, the important point is that the MIG-29 is a Soviet and Russian-made aircraft, and therefore, given the problem of maintenance and spare parts, this is one of the reasons why it should be abandoned “says the expert. .
Political scientist Vyacheslav Potapenko recalls that the trigger for the transformation of Ukrainian military aviation was the negotiations on the possibility of transferring fighter jets to Ukraine.
“In addition, the creation of high-quality air bases and ground services allows us to talk about a deep modernization of the airfield base, the development of aviation. The trigger for this process was the negotiations and the possibility of transferring the F-16 to Ukraine. The idea of ​​a deep modernization of the military aircraft industry was on the table, since the aircraft industry and the engine industry were preserved in the country, â€says Potapenko.
According to him, the idea of ​​Ukraine creating its own combat aircraft on the existing production base is “an ambitious but unpromising task”.
“Ukraine has never produced such aircraft, but in cooperation with other countries and companies, we could organize the assembly or production of individual components and engines,†the expert emphasizes.
As an example, Potapenko cites the production of Turkish Bayraktar unmanned aerial vehicles, for which Ukraine supplies engines.
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