Poland and other EU countries to donate MIGs and fighters to Ukraine

[LetMyPeopleVote]

The donation of jets from the EU to Ukraine makes me smile

Link to tweet

Link to tweet

https://www.defenseone.com/threats/2022/02/can-ukraine-really-use-donated-fighter-jets-depends/362505/

Perhaps the most eye-popping of today’s pledges to ship weapons to the Ukrainian military was the European Union’s announcement that it would soon send fighter jets. Would Ukrainian pilots really be able to jump in a donated jet and fly into combat?

Herbert “Hawk” Carlisle says sure, if it’s a type they already know how to fly.

“It really would not be a big step, going from a Ukrainian MiG-29 to a Polish MiG-29,” said Carlisle, a retired general who oversaw U.S. Air Force fighter jets as head of Air Combat Command......

Since Ukraine already flies the MiG-29, its Air Force pilots could immediately fly MiG-29s flown by other countries without any major training, Carlisle said. Pilots typically must go through a training course before climbing into the cockpit of a new type of jet.

[SheltieLover]

1. Excellent! 👏👏👏👏

[MerryBlooms]

2. Get them in the fuckin air already!

Fuck Putin. Fuck Belarus.

[Hoyt]

3. Unfortunately, if they are based in Ukraine, Russians will destroy them

pretty quickly. To be effective, they are going to have to be based somewhere else, which creates other issues. But more fighters is better than less.

[GregariousGroundhog]

9. Last I heard, the Ukrainian air force and anti-air defenses are still operational (though degraded)

How long that will continue to be the case is anyone's guess though.

[Hoyt]

10. I'm guessing if putin is willing to kill lots more Ukrainians, won't last long.

That’s the problem and concern.

[Celerity]

4. MIG 29

[MarineCombatEngineer]

6. Say what you will about the Russians,

but they sure know how to build a beautiful aircraft.

[Cha]

5. This IS Helping Ukraine!

Not some DSA calling on the US to Abandon NATO!

Rt TY & Poland & the EU Countries!

💙

[roamer65]

7. I have seen blurbs that the pilots from the EU countries may fly them.

[Hoyt]

11. That's what it's going to take. They'll be destroyed if based in Ukraine.

But outside intervention creates problems too.

[roamer65]

12. Apparently Poland is spearheading it.

The pilots are part of the international defense force announced by President Zelenskyy.

EU money is financing it.

[onetexan]

14. Wow! Awesome

[dsp3000]

8. F it. we just need some unmarked NATO boots on the ground, play their dirty game.

stop this insanity before it gets worse.

[lagomorph777]

17. I suspect there will be some of that happening.

Covert support in various forms: cyber, cruise missiles out of nowhere, maybe some little green MIGs...

[LetMyPeopleVote]

13. CNN and U.S. Intel Reports Now Say That Russia Does *Not* Enjoy Air Superiority

Link to tweet

[LetMyPeopleVote]

15. Ukraine's Air Force has just received a large shipment of air-to-air missiles for our jet fighters

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[lagomorph777]

18. I hope they're fully compatible.

[lagomorph777]

16. Makes sense to me!

[LetMyPeopleVote]

19. Ukrainian pilots arrive in Poland to pick up donated fighter jets

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https://www.politico.com/news/2022/02/28/ukrainian-pilots-arrive-in-poland-to-pick-up-donated-fighter-jets-00012560

Ukrainian pilots have arrived in Poland to start the process of taking control of fighter planes they expect to be donated by European countries, a Ukrainian government official told POLITICO.

The potential transfer of older Russian-made planes to be used in combat against Russian forces could be the most significant moment yet in a wave of promised arms transfers over the past 24 hours that includes thousands of anti-armor rockets, machine guns, artillery and other equipment.

It’s not clear just yet what countries are donating the jets, but European Union security chief Josep Borrell pledged over the weekend that the EU would fund the transfer the fighter planes from multiple countries.

Borrell walked that back slightly on Monday, acknowledging that any transfers wouldn’t come from the EU itself, but would instead be donated “bilaterally” by individual EU countries.

[LetMyPeopleVote]

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

Link to tweet

[LetMyPeopleVote]

21. Poland has agreed to deploy *all* of its MiG-29 jets to the U.S. AB at Rammstein,

Link to tweet

Statement of the Minister of Foreign Affairs of the Republic of Poland in connection with the statement by the US Secretary of State on providing airplanes to Ukraine
https://www.gov.pl/web/diplomacy/statement-of-the-minister-of-foreign-affairs-of-the-republic-of-poland-in-connection-with-the-statement-by-the-us-secretary-of-state-on-providing-airplanes-to-ukraine

The authorities of the Republic of Poland, after consultations between the President and the Goverment, are ready to deploy – immediately and free of charge – all their MIG-29 jets to the Ramstein Air Base and place them at the disposal of the Government of the United States of America.

At the same time, Poland requests the United States to provide us with used aircraft with corresponding operational capabilities. Poland is ready to immediately establish the conditions of purchase of the planes.

The Polish Government also requests other NATO Allies – owners of MIG-29 jets – to act in the same vein.