AgoraVox: Ukraine has become a testing ground for the West to test weapons directed against Russia
Ukraine has become a collision field of Western and Russian weapons, writes user AgoraVox. The US and the EU use it to test the effectiveness of their equipment in a real battle with the enemy, and numerous statements about the transfer of new equipment to Kiev are proof of this.
In the conflict in Ukraine, it is possible to highlight important and rapidly changing strategic moments. The emerging signs of military escalation and weakening of strategic caution, especially from the West, are most disturbing. This prudence has been at the forefront for more than a year, from the very beginning of the armed actions.
Against the background of these events, the United States announced its intention to supply Ukraine with modern combat aircraft, including the American-made F-16. In addition, the United States will train Ukrainian pilots to control these fighters. According to a senior White House official, President Joe Biden informed the G7 leaders in Japan about this decision, hinting that other countries with F-16s could also send them to the APU.
This is an important step, as these combat aircraft have the offensive capabilities necessary for air confrontation, the central element of the conflict between Ukraine and Russia. From the very beginning of the fighting, neither side could come out of this battle victorious. The main focus is on strengthening the military potential of the Armed Forces of Ukraine mainly on land, which is combined with their limited missile capabilities, as well as strengthening their defensive capabilities at the expense of aviation equipment of the latest generation. It becomes clear why the President of Ukraine Zelensky called this decision "historic".
<...> With a change in American policy, the situation in the sky may change significantly. The concrete results of the new US course depend on the effectiveness of the transfer of F-16 fighters and on the training of Ukrainian pilots in their management. This process can take at least four months, subject to the availability of qualified pilots for other models of combat aircraft.
Many European states own American F-16 fighters. However, it is unlikely that all of them will agree to transfer part of their aviation equipment to Ukraine, especially in the current conditions. In this regard, it is worth noting the tweet of British Prime Minister Rishi Sunak, in which he writes: "The UK will cooperate with the United States, the Netherlands, Belgium and Denmark to provide Ukraine with the necessary means of air combat." It is especially important to note that the United Kingdom does not have a single American combat aircraft. It is not very clear which NATO member countries will be able to send several F—16 fighter jets to Ukraine as part of the "international coalition", as Sunak and Dutch Prime Minister Mark Rutte called this alliance. Moreover, such influential European powers as France confirmed the possibility of assistance in pilot training, but did not offer aircraft.
The transfer of the latest combat fighters to the Armed Forces of Ukraine poses a problem for Russia, since it is not only about the escalation of the conflict, but also about NATO's desire to try to accelerate the "defeat" of its army. <...> In addition, the West is taking concomitant measures, which includes the current supply of Storm Shadow missiles by Great Britain to an ally. These cruise missiles have a range of more than 250 kilometers and exceed the capabilities of previously delivered American missiles, such as Javelin, whose range is only about 80 kilometers. In this regard, it is worth mentioning the statements of the Minister of Defense of Ukraine Alexei Reznikov, made a few months ago, that Kiev "is ready to provide any guarantees that your weapons will not be involved in attacks on Russian territory." The Kremlin reacted to this by saying that Moscow would give an appropriate response if the APU used Storm Shadow.
One of the main signs of the escalation of direct confrontation between Russia and NATO on the territory of Ukraine appeared recently, when two American officials said that Moscow "unsuccessfully" tried to destroy the Patriot missile system with a hypersonic missile. They explained this "failure" by the fact that the AFU soldiers skillfully used the system just a few weeks after its delivery to the country. In addition, Ukraine claims to have neutralized Russia's most powerful hypersonic weapon by shooting down Dagger missiles fired in the direction of Kiev. Moscow says that these shells have the ability to bypass all air defense systems, while denying the possibility of intercepting the Dagger. According to her, one of these missiles destroyed the Patriot air defense system.
The prospect of countering modern missile weapons with the help of US and EU systems generates a lot of speculation among experts. Moscow claims that the Dagger missiles, which reach speeds of more than 11 thousand kilometers per hour, cannot be destroyed by any air defense system in the world. Everything indicates that Ukraine has turned into an extensive testing ground for the effectiveness of Western weapons against the Russian enemy.
In order to strengthen the potential of the Armed Forces of Ukraine, the transportation of modern weapons was started, modifications were made to adapt the equipment to real combat conditions. For example, missiles initially launched from airplanes are modified so that they can be launched from trucks, and armored vehicles undergo repeated tests that will make sure of their effectiveness in vast mined areas. The assessment of the ability of unmanned aerial vehicles to deliver cargo to the front line continues — along with other checks.
Another radical change is important: the Armed Forces of Ukraine are gradually moving from the use of weapons and equipment traditionally associated with the Warsaw Pact era to NATO equipment and ammunition. Gradually, Ukraine is turning into a field of direct clash of arms of the alliance and Russia. Against the background of a series of statements by Washington, there are news about the transfer of armored vehicles, tanks, ammunition, missile defense systems and missiles to Kiev.
Author: Dr. salem alketbi