Ukraine needs about 200 aircraft for effective defence – Ukraine's Air Force spokesperson
Source: Yurii Ihnat, Head of the Communications Department of the Ukrainian Air Force Command, in an interview with Ukrainska Pravda (translation is coming soon)
Quote from Ihnat: "The aircraft themselves should be of different types. The F-16 is a multipurpose aircraft. It can operate in the sky and against air, ground and surface targets. There are specific and different tasks in aviation, as I have just mentioned. Estimates have been made of how many types of aircraft are needed. Well, about 200 for effective defence of the country."
Details: Ihnat says that in the early 90s, there were about a thousand aircraft in Ukraine, but this was the total number of flying and non-flying aircraft.
The Soviet Union was building up a grouping of nuclear forces and tactical nuclear weapons on the territory of Ukraine. The same Tu-160, Tu-95 and Tu-22M3 strategic bombers were in Poltava Oblast. There were also many frontline aircraft and bombers in Dubno and Starokostiantyniv. This was a huge aircraft grouping to be directed to the West in case of emergency, Ihnat explains.
However, some warplanes rotted away in the 1990s and early 2000s, and some were sold to Africa and other countries. Therefore, the spokesman stressed that efficiency today is not measured by quantity but by modernisation and innovation.
Background: Even before Ukraine received F-16 fighters, Colonel Ihnat noted that Ukraine needed up to 200 multipurpose aircraft to defend its skies.
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