Ukraine recently reported that it had shot down or disabled a number of Russian aircraft. As a result, Ukraine can create conditions for the deployment of new aircraft that it will soon receive from the West. This was stated by the Chief of Staff of the Estonian Air Force, Colonel Janek Lehiste, ERR reports, according to UNN.
Details
Lehiste said that the situation on the front line has become more active and the initiative is more likely to be in the hands of Russian troops. According to him, Russia has slightly changed its tactics, using air support for its advance.
They found that with air support, airplanes could multiply the desired effect, as attack aircraft could cause great damage to defense lines by dropping bombs weighing about half a ton,
He noted that Russia is risking its planes by flying closer to the combat line.
As a result, the Ukrainians were able to shoot down about 13 aircraft in February,
According to the Chief of Staff of the Estonian Air Force, Ukraine uses both long- and medium-range air defense systems to shoot down Russian aircraft, especially the Patriot system, which has a range of 150 kilometers.
By decommissioning Russian planes, Ukraine can prepare to deploy its own new aircraft, Lehiste said.
Of course, you can look at it from the point of view that they are creating conditions for the deployment of their new aircraft. Perhaps they are also creating conditions so that at a certain point in time and in a certain geographical area they can achieve air superiority,
The colonel added that Ukraine could receive F-16s from the West in early spring or summer. He emphasized that there is no need to make significant changes to Ukraine's infrastructure to accommodate the F-16s.
Recall
Ukraine is preparing its airfields to receive and operate F-16 fighter jets by adapting runways and parking lots to accommodate Western aircraft.
12 Ukrainian pilots will be ready to fly F-16s by summer - NYT3/11/24, 10:08 AM