Western fighters will not assist Ukraine at this stage, although it may be accepted in the future.
Above all, Ukraine now needs air defense, long-range weapons and armored vehicles, and the F16 “at this stage of the war” will not help the Ukrainians. This was said at a hearing in the Senate Armed Services Committee, the head of the Pentagon, Lloyd Austin, reports the Voice of America.
“Today the main need of the Ukrainians is air defense. This is a critical need on the battlefield. They also need long-range weapons and armored vehicles. And we provide them with a significant package of such capabilities, Austin said.
He added that the United States is also training the Armed Forces of Ukraine and guarantees Ukraine the provision of supplied weapons.
“Regarding the F16 fighters, if such a decision is made, then it will take about 18 months to provide these capabilities. But this will not help the Ukrainians at this stage of the war,” the head of the Pentagon is sure.
At the same time, he expressed confidence that in the future the Ukrainians will get Western fighters. According to him, it could be either the F16 or other fourth generation aircraft.
At this stage, the US continues to work with partners to ensure that Ukraine has exactly what it needs, Austin said.
Earlier it was reported that the legendary American F-16 pilot volunteered to defend Ukraine if Kyiv manages to obtain the supply of F-16 aircraft. Also, the Armed Forces of Ukraine allowed the participation of foreign pilots in the service.
news Correspondent.net on Telegram. Subscribe to our channel Athletistic
Source: korrespondent
I am David Wyatt, a professional writer and journalist for Buna Times. I specialize in the world section of news coverage, where I bring to light stories and issues that affect us globally. As a graduate of Journalism, I have always had the passion to spread knowledge through writing.