Can we do more to help Ukraine win the air?

[blue-wave]

With all the talk of a "no fly zone" over Ukraine, which I feel is very dangerous for NATO, the West and the world, I can't help but help feel there must be more we can do to help Ukraine clear their skies of Russian fighter jets.

Don't we or maybe NATO have high tech long range missiles that can stalk fighter jets and shoot them down? Some other type of weapon? Does anyone have any ideas?

[PoliticAverse]

1. They are getting sent stinger, javelin and other anti-aircraft missiles. n/t

[blue-wave]

2. But aren't those short range missiles?

[Calculating]

3. Exactly

They need serious business SAMs to take out the bombers. Stingers are only good vs helicopters and stuff.

[jmowreader]

6. Which means putting American boots on Ukrainian soil

We COULD send them Patriot missiles, but those take three months of training before they let you near a live rocket. As bad as Russia has been in this conflict the war could be over by the time we get the Ukrainians qualified on the system.

[AntiFascist]

8. Could they be placed on the other side of the western border and at least protect Lviv? n/t

[jmowreader]

9. No. It's too far from the Polish border to Lviv

A battalion of Jewish Space Lasers is just what the doctor ordered, but we don’t have any.

[AntiFascist]

10. Laser guided smart bombs, like those used in Desert Storm!

of course Putie would have a nuclear fit.

[jmowreader]

11. No to that too

Laser guided smart bombs are still gravity bombs, which means you have to drop them somewhere in the same area as the thing you want to attack.

Cruise missiles could come in handy, especially if we find and flatten their air bases. Problem is, Trump’s Buddy has ICBMs he’d like to shoot at the United States.

[PoliticAverse]

4. Javelin range is over 2.5 miles, stinger about the same.

Ukraine has the powerful Russian S-300 air defense system (range about 50 miles) not sure how many of those they still have working though.

[ColinC]

5. A simple NATO presence in areas with no conflict will slow or completely stop the onslaught

Putin will not commit suicide in order to take Ukraine. He is counting on NATO staying completely out of the country. If NATO simply enters one side, it is forcing Russia to stay out of that areas, saving millions of lives. Shooting down Russian planes isn't the only option. Increasing the stakes for Russia, and forcing them to consider further escalation or nuclear war is the other.


The ball has always been in Russia's court as to how far it will escalate, and that doesn't change with NATO inside non conflict areas of the country. But it could save millions and millions of lives.

Putin is begging for sanctions to be lifted, and has assured us today that he has no bad intentions toward Ukraine. Let's make him prove it.


Not doing so will put blood on NATO's hands.

[Deminpenn]

7. Heard yesterday that providing additional aircraft

to Ukraine is back under discussion.