How Ukraine's Outgunned Air Force Is Fighting Back Against Russian Jets

[Yo_Mama_Been_Loggin]

LVIV, Ukraine — Each night, Ukrainian pilots like Andriy loiter in an undisclosed aircraft hangar, waiting, waiting, until the tension is broken with a shouted, one-word command: “Air!”

Andriy hustles into his Su-27 supersonic jet and hastily taxis toward the runway, getting airborne as quickly as possible. He takes off so fast that he doesn’t yet know his mission for the night, though the big picture is always the same — to bring the fight to a Russian Air Force that is vastly superior in numbers but has so far failed to win control of the skies above Ukraine.

“I don’t do any checks,” said Andriy, a Ukrainian Air Force pilot who as a condition of granting an interview was not permitted to give his surname or rank. “I just take off.”

Nearly a month into the fighting, one of the biggest surprises of the war in Ukraine is Russia’s failure to defeat the Ukrainian Air Force. Military analysts had expected Russian forces to quickly destroy or paralyze Ukraine’s air defenses and military aircraft, yet neither have happened. Instead, Top Gun-style aerial dogfights, rare in modern warfare, are now raging above the country.

https://www.msn.com/en-us/news/world/how-ukraine-s-outgunned-air-force-is-fighting-back-against-russian-jets/ar-AAVmcbe

[yagotme]

1. "I don't do any checks,"

WTH. How does he keep his plane in the air? Doesn't check fuel status, weapons loadout/status, safeties off? I think he's exaggerating a bit, or either he is completely crazy.

[The Magistrate]

3. I Expect He Trusts His Ground Crew, Sir

It's the crew chief's plane, not the pilot's....

[yagotme]

4. But the crew chief isn't the one that's going into combat with the plane.

Has to be a WHOLE LOTTA trust there. And don't call me sir, I work for a living...

[GregariousGroundhog]

5. The United States Strategic Air Command worked the same way during the cold war

When the klaxon sounded, the B-52 bomber crews had to be in the air in under 15 minutes.

[Hekate]

6. Fascinating article, isn't it? Taking off in the dead of night for dogfights, all if it. nt

[Chuuku Davis]

2. I wouldbet all of the prechecks

Are done during daylight.

[highplainsdem]

7. K&R!