About sending fighter jets to UKR, Blinken explained it well.

[Stinky The Clown]

UKR needs Russian jets with which their pilots are familiar. Poland has said jets. The US will send US jets to Poland to backfill their inventory as they send their Russian jets to UKR.

The plan still needs sign off.

I hope Ukraine has enough pilots.

[Phoenix61]

1. I'm sure there are ex-fighter pilots who would

love to get back in the seat of one of those. I’ve talked to fighter pilots and they say there is nothing else in the world like it.

[lapfog_1]

2. they will need at least a few places to land and refuel

russian cruise missiles have taken out most of the runways in the nation and getting jet fuel (even if you have a place to land) is going to be difficult.

more javelins and more stingers... as quickly as possible.

fighters won't stop a missile attack... and will have limited success against mortar and tanks. They are really only good to prevent russian bombing attacks.

The no-fly zone concept is more to get NATO into the fight as Russia might attack the base where NATO members launch their aircraft to enforce it.

I have no idea if Putin would actually launch ICBMs against all of NATO should we engage in the ground war. I think he might be that crazy. For now, it's not worth the gamble.

[Martin68]

14. They still control territory in the East.

[WarGamer]

3. great deal for Poland... MiG's for F16's....

I love the Poles.

[Aristus]

15. They're too right-wing for me.

I applaud and respect their history of courage in the face of tyranny. But today's Poland is just too far to the right for my liking.

[WarGamer]

16. I hear ya...

But it's a reaction to being under the boot of Soviet oppression for decades.

[RainCaster]

4. They will need armament as well

They will need lots of bullets & missiles for those planes. Plus plenty of skilled mechanics to keep them running.

[WarGamer]

17. where will the planes be based?

[RainCaster]

18. Poland has offered at least one airbase

As a country, Poland has been very generous towards the fleeing Ukrainians.

[WarGamer]

22. Can't house UKA in Poland. They never offered that.

[Sucha NastyWoman]

5. Rep. Tom Malinowski (D) from the Foreign Affairs Committee

Just told Fredricka Whitfield -“I think they have the pilots. . . “

[Cha]

19. Good to know.. TY & Rep Malinowski..

💙💛

[Layzeebeaver]

6. I hope Poland has enough pilots

To undertake training in new aircraft and not lose air defence capability in the meantime.

And that their training infrastructure is already ramped up to support that.

Our systems have become quite complex. Just saying something is going to happen does not make it a given….

I would love further input on this matter.

[Stinky The Clown]

7. NATO makes up the shortfall including trained pilots

[jaxexpat]

8. Regarding Poland's fighter pilots.

If the Ukrainians don't fly them NATO planes will not be used.

1) I'm thinking that even if a single person, an active-duty member of NATO's muti-national military, is active over non-NATO airspace the whole possibility of nuclear war becomes wrapped up in that single beating heart.
2) If Polish pilots are given the challenge of operating new systems, such as the planes to replace those given the Ukrainians, I'm pretty sure the "supplying nation" will provide ample support to get those pilots and ground crews on track. Or operate them themselves if the situational fit arises. But when that happens, it just doesn't matter.

This all comes from the half-assed notion that a world body which provides total veto power to 5 arbitrarily chosen states is the product of a United Nations. NATO was the western allies answer to the USSR's license to veto any or all UN proposals. Obviously, WWII wasn't enough to force nations to abandon unilateralism. Russians have always been oligarchs, especially from 1917-1953, the era that set the template for such as Putin to rear his worm-infested head.

[blue-wave]

9. If I'm not mistaken

Poland already has some F-16's. So some, if not all of their pilots are already trained.


On edit: Yes, they already have F-16's

https://www.globalsecurity.org/military/world/europe/pl-af-f-16.htm

[Sgent]

21. I bet the US Air National Guard / USAFR

could do a voluntary callup and get enough F-16 pilots to stand for Polish pilots while they complete their training. The F-16 is extensively used in our NG/AFR and stationing them defending Poland is well within NATO obligations.

[raging moderate]

10. Hooray for Poland!

PS Happy Casimir Pulaski Day!

[lame54]

11. Put some Polish pilots in Ukranian uniforms if need be

[LetMyPeopleVote]

12. NATO countries now have the "green-light" to send fighter jets to Ukraine

Link to tweet

[Stinky The Clown]

13. I hope many UKR pilots were NATO pilots last week.

UKR has been asking for, and getting, foreign nationals to volunteer and fight for them.

[Cha]

20. TY Rt.. I like the way

ODems frames it!
💙💛