A lot of media attention has recently been paid to the topic of which fighter plane the Ukrainian Air Force will get from the West.
Because the type of fighter Kyiv receives from the West has the potential to help Kyiv turn the battlefield, it remains one of the topics that garners the most public interest. However, everything is dependent on what is referred to as “operational readiness,” which entails deploying all necessary infrastructure, training technicians in addition to pilots, and establishing ground support systems The US Undersecretary of Defense for Political Affairs, Colin Kahl, stated in a statement that providing Kyiv with fighter jets is a lengthy process that will likely take several years.
However, a different scenario can be true, enabling Ukraine to get sophisticated 4+ generation fighters soon. It is important to take into account Mr. Kahl’s response to the queries raised by media about the supply of fighter jets to Ukraine. “We are very selective about which fighting weapons the US believes are best for Ukraine at this time. Just the final decision has not been made, but I can confirm that the fighter is still at the bargaining table “said the US deputy defence secretary. There are still other choices available even though Washington is unable to send fighters to Kyiv at the moment. especially given that it has already been established that you need not limit yourself to buying only American goods
In light of this circumstance, it is imperative to move on to the NATO Defense Summit, which will take place on August 10 in Copenhagen, and everything that follows.
For instance, the Swedish Defense Minister suggested that Sweden might begin arming Ukraine, and based on the list of presumptions, the possibilities that are actually intriguing are few in number. The JAS 39 Gripen fighter, a Swedish weapon model that has garnered greater interest from Ukraine than the American F-16 Fighting Falcon, is one of such weapons. The approval of a defence cooperation agreement between Ukraine and Sweden, which updated a previous agreement inked in 2011, was the next event to draw notice and stir up public opinion. That aptly illustrates the expansion of defensive trends between the two nations.
The Ukrainian Air Force has long regarded the JAS 39 Gripen fighter as one of the greatest possibilities for innovation; Kyiv’s “Vision to 2035” manifesto made mention of it. Oleksiy Reznikov, the defence minister of Ukraine, also claimed that the Gripen was a candidate and that it was the best choice given the country’s current ground infrastructure. Even Mr. Colin Kahl’s most recent comment, which emphasises the importance of the economy, is regarded as evidence of the Swedish fighter’s superiority. Saab Group is even prepared to localise aircraft production in the country of usage due to the Gripen’s lowest cost per flying hour.
When all pertinent variables are taken into account, the JAS 39 Gripen can utterly replace the F-16 as the top contender for bolstering the Ukrainian Air Force. At the same time, the US and its allies not only assist but also increase their capabilities to operate, as the Pentagon has made clear, Kiev can receive any deployed Western aircraft if it is ready to operate. the Air Force of Ukraine. Of course, it’s also conceivable that the entire purpose of these open discussions was to hide the plot. Additionally, the US and its allies proved to be fairly successful in supplying Ukraine with intriguing weaponry samples under a strict code of secrecy.
