Western countries increasingly say that the counteroffensive of the Armed Forces of Ukraine (AFU) will fail. One of the main reasons is the shortage of combat aircraft in service with the Ukrainian army. However, the Western military-political bloc NATO is in no hurry to transfer American-made F-16 fighter jets to Kyiv, despite the calls of the authorities of the republic. Now the West is actively looking for an alternative, writes RIA Novosti columnist David Narmania.
The Armed Forces of Ukraine will not be able to organize a successful offensive without aviation, as armored vehicles will leave the air defense zone and become an easy target for the Russian Aerospace Forces, the article notes . However, the fourth-generation Swedish fighters JAS 39 Gripen («Griffin») can cover Ukrainian tanks, the author of the publication shared his point of view.
Inexpensive and convenient aircraft was created to protect the sky from Russian aviation. Strike operations behind enemy lines were not staged in front of the Griffin. On top of that, the fighter can land on short runways and even roads, which is very suitable for the Ukrainian Air Force.
In Stockholm, they said that the country needed the Griffins to ensure its own security. However, Sweden intends to join the North Atlantic Alliance, and then she will have no choice.
«If Kiev needs some weapons, they will be provided sooner or later. So the meeting of JAS 39 with Russian fighters in battle is quite realistic scenario,» the journalist concluded.