Poland Agrees To Hand Over MiG-29 Fighter Jets To Aid Ukraine
Last edited Tue Mar 8, 2022, 04:21 PM - Edit history (3)
Source: Forbes
Poland is ready to transfer dozens of Soviet-era fighter jets to the United States so they can be made available to the Ukrainian military, it announced Tuesday, after officials in Ukraine pleaded with Western governments to provide warplanes to aid its fight against a Russian invasion.
The Polish military is set to send all of its remaining MiG-29 jets--the same type of fighter jet flown by Ukraine's air force--to the U.S.-run Ramstein Air Base in Germany "immediately and free of charge," the Ministry of Foreign Affairs said in a statement.
Poland asked the United States to "provide us with used aircraft with corresponding operational capabilities," after reports the United States has weighed replenishing Poland's fleet with American-made F-16 fighter jets.
The Pentagon and State Department did not respond to requests for comment, but Secretary of State Antony Blinken confirmed to CNN on Sunday the United States supports sending Polish fighter jets to Ukraine and is "working with Poland as we speak to see if we can backfill anything that they provide to the Ukrainians."
Read more: https://www.forbes.com/sites/joewalsh/2022/03/08/poland-agrees-to-hand-over-mig-29-fighter-jets-to-aid-ukraine/
Ray Bruns
(4,023 posts)maxsolomon
(32,992 posts)Are they going to let Ukraine fly them out of Ramstein? That makes the most sense to me; NATO provides maintenance, fuel, armaments, and it operates as a base Russian can't hit.
Or maybe not. I don't know where in Ukraine would be safe to stage fighters.
AntiFascist
(12,792 posts)they will be flown to Remstein to be at the disposal of the United States. I don't think they want to be directly involved in sending to Ukraine, hmmm. I would assume they would then fly to Ukraine.
NickB79
(19,117 posts)It's up to the Ukrainians to find airfields to base out of, but they aren't being flown across the border after they enter.
What you suggest is tantamount to a NATO attack on Russia, just using Ukrainian pilots.
maxsolomon
(32,992 posts)They're going to be very vulnerable no matter how far west they're stationed.
I get the impression the air war has been limited to this point; though I don't know why. I though Russia had more capability; perhaps the STA missiles we've given them are holding them at bay.
CentralMass
(15,265 posts)dhol82
(9,351 posts)Not trying to be snarky. The Russia s have been doing an amazing job of destroying the Ukrainian infrastructure.
They will need a place to land the planes and then refuel.
Happy Hoosier
(7,083 posts)dhol82
(9,351 posts)Bev54
(9,963 posts)The US will then provide them to Ukraine. That way Russia cannot accuse Poland of providing planes to Ukraine.
AntiFascist
(12,792 posts)Torchlight
(3,236 posts)Around 30 (?) American Lightnings were placed on order by Poland. Lightnings are multi-role fighters that can target other jets or engage with bombs and missiles to directly support ground operations.
My guess (only a guess) is that the cost of this order for Poland will be substantially less than it was two months ago.
katusha
(809 posts)is that Poland will get NATO aircraft for it's defense, and a reminder to Putin that Poland is and always shall be a NATO member in FULL standing.
Emile
(21,919 posts)over to Ukraine?
It's being conducted as a trade for newer planes so that Poland can't be said to have directly given aircraft to Ukraine. They get new planes, we move the older ones we have "traded" for to Ukraine. This also upgrades Poland's strength in the air, should they find themselves under threat later.
Emile
(21,919 posts)Akoto
(4,261 posts)The idea is to avoid attaching any implications of assistance rendered to Poland, so we trade for the planes and then it's up to us to get them there. It won't be them flying. Ramstein is fully equipped to get the planes up and going, so it's a departure point if they want to fly them to Ukraine. Doubt it will be the Russians either, because they would still be our planes at that point. We're more than capable of moving them, at any rate, in some way that never links Poland on an official level. Everybody knows what's going on, of course, but it's curving around the ability to directly accuse a NATO member on Russia's part.
EX500rider
(10,532 posts)Still a good thing but not quite free of charge.
tonekat
(1,805 posts)The sooner the better.
Tennessee Hillbilly
(575 posts)Obviously the U.S. doesn't want the Russians to know exactly where, or when, or by whom, these planes are being "delivered".