KazPost

Kazakhstan News
Tuesday, Mar 28, 2023

Ukrainian pilots are calling the US Air Force for tips on using US-made missiles and bombs

Ukrainian pilots are calling the US Air Force for tips on using US-made missiles and bombs

For 13 months, US airmen have been advising Ukrainian aircrews on how to operate against Russian forces and use US-made weapons.

Since Russia attacked Ukraine last year, US airmen have been on the phone with their Ukrainian counterparts, discussing ways to operate against Russian forces and how to use US-made weapons, US Air Force officials said this month.

While Russia has some aerial advantages, both sides have effective air-defense systems that have kept the other from gaining air superiority, but Ukraine's air force continues to receive US-made weapons that allow it to strike valuable targets.

As with other US-made hardware, those weapons come with constant US support, according to Lt. Gen. Michael Loh, director of the US Air National Guard.

It started out as "here's what you need to do to survive the initial attack" and has evolved to "here's how you can continue to deliver airpower," Loh told reporters at the Air and Space Forces Association symposium on March 8.

Ukrainian and US personnel during exercise Safe Skies in July 2011.


Much of the support comes from the California National Guard, which has worked with Ukraine since 1993 as part of the National Guard's State Partnership Program.

That relationship has "allowed a Ukrainian soldier to pick up the phone to say, 'Hey, I'm having a problem with this weapon system' to somebody who actually trained them and solve a problem on the ground," Loh said in response to a question from Insider.

US airmen have advised Ukrainians on conducting agile combat employment, the US Air Force's concept for dispersed operations, and on using US-made weapons, including the AGM-88, a high-speed anti-radiation missile provided last year to target Russian radars, and guidance kits, called JDAMs, that allow bombs to glide farther.

"We're continuing to provide them the tactics, techniques, and procedures for things like agile combat employment [and] new weapons systems, as you've seen in the press lately — 'how do I use a Glide JDAM' and some of those things," Loh said. "It was HARMs before that. So that has continued over this last 13 months of conflict."

Ukraine's air force still faces a tough operating environment. Ukrainian air-defense systems, ranging from Cold War-era cannons to sophisticated guided missiles, have helped keep Russian aircraft at bay and defended Ukrainian infrastructure from Russia's missile and drone attacks, but Russia also fields highly effective air-defense systems, which along with long-range sensors and missiles on Russian aircraft hinder Ukrainian jets' ability to operate effectively near the front lines.

A California Air National Guard officer discusses exercise Safe Skies with his Ukrainian counterparts in July 2011.


The US estimates that Russian forces have downed more than 60 Ukrainian aircraft and that Ukrainian forces have downed more than 70 Russian aircraft, according to Gen. James Hecker, head of US Air Forces in Europe.

"Both of their integrated air and missile defenses, especially when you're talking about going against aircraft, have been very effective, and that's why they're not flying over one another's country," Hecker said at the symposium on March 6.

Ukraine has been able to mount limited aerial attacks against Russian forces, including some high-profile attacks far behind Russian lines, usually with drone aircraft.

US-made HARM missiles, which US engineers scrambled to adapt for use on Ukraine's Soviet-designed MiG-29s and Su-27s in just two months, have helped with attacks on fixed targets, like air-defense systems, though both sides are "getting very good at taking these typically fixed sites and being able to move them, quite often in little time," Hecker told reporters.

A Ukrainian MiG-29 armed with a US-made AGM-88 High-speed Anti-Radiation Missile.


"We've just got them some precision munitions that have some extended range and go a little bit further than a gravity-dropped bomb," Hecker added. "That's a recent capability that we were able to give them, probably in the last three weeks."

Hecker appeared to be referring to the extended range JDAM, which uses wings and a GPS kit mounted on an unguided bomb to enable it to reach targets up to 45 miles away.

With its current capabilities, Ukraine's air force is able to do "a couple of strikes a day" at ranges "a little bit farther than HIMARS can get right now, but not real far out at all," Hecker said.

While discussion of future Western military aid to Ukraine has focused on fighter jets, officials and experts say artillery and air-defense weapons remain the highest priority ahead of increased fighting in the spring and summer.

Russia's frequent air attacks have taxed Ukraine's supply of interceptor missiles. Countries at the Ukraine Defense Contact Group meeting in January pledged to provide more of those missiles, and Ukraine is now "sitting in a pretty good place," Hecker added. "If they run out, then it's going to be very difficult for the Ukrainians to protect what they have right now."

Newsletter

Related Articles

KazPost
Close
0:00
0:00
AOC explains why she opposes banning TikTok
Singapore’s Prime Minister says China and US need to stabilize relations because world can't afford a confict between the two superpowers
Gordon Moore, a co-founder of Intel Corporation, died at 94
Powell: Silicon Valley Bank was an 'outlier'
Donald Trump arrested – Twitter goes wild with doctored pictures
NYPD is setting up barricades outside Manhattan Criminal Court ahead of Trump arrest.
Credit Suisse's Scandalous History Resulted in an Obvious Collapse - It's time for regulators who fail to do their job to be held accountable and serve as an example by being behind bars.
Paris Rioting vs Macron anti democratic law
'Sexual Fantasy' Assignment At US School Outrages Parents
Orbán Viktor: the restructuring of the power relations in the whole of Europe is taking place
Credit Suisse to borrow $54 billion from Swiss central bank
Russian Hackers Preparing New Cyber Assault Against Ukraine
"Will Fly Wherever International Law Allows": US Warns Russia After Drone Incident
China is calling out the US, UK, and Australia on their submarine pact, claiming they are going further down a dangerous road
A brief banking situation report
We are witnessing widespread bank fails and the president just gave a 5 min speech then walked off camera.
Donald Trump's asked by Tucker Carlson question on if the U.S. should support regime change in Russia?.
Elon Musk Is Planning To Build A Town In Texas For His Employees
The Silicon Valley Bank’s collapse effect is spreading around the world, affecting startup companies across the globe
City officials in Berlin announced on Thursday that all swimmers at public pools will soon be allowed to swim topless
Fitness scam
Market Chaos as USDC Loses Peg to USD after $3.3 Billion Reserves Held by Silicon Valley Bank Closed.
Banking regulators close SVB, the largest bank failure since the financial crisis
Silicon Valley Bank: Struggles Threaten Tech Startup Ecosystem"
The unelected UK Prime Minister Rishi Sunak, an immigrant himself, defends new controversial crackdown on illegal migration
Man’s penis amputated by mistake after he’s wrongly diagnosed with a tumour
In a major snub to Downing Street's Silicon Valley dreams, UK chip giant Arm has dealt a serious blow to the government's economic strategy by opting for a US listing
It's the question on everyone's lips: could a four-day workweek be the future of employment?
Is Gold the Ultimate Safe Haven Asset in Times of Uncertainty?
Corruption and Influence Buying Uncovered in International Mainstream Media: Investigation Reveals Growing Disinformation Mercenaries
European MP Clare Daly condemns US attack on Nord Stream
Kamala Harris: "The United States has formally determined that Russia has committed crimes against humanity."
US Joins 15 NATO Nations in Largest Space Data Collection Initiative in History
White House: No ETs over the United States
U.S. Jet Shoots Down Flying Object Over Canada
Nord Stream terror attack: David Sacks breaks down Sy Hersh's story
Being a Tiktoker might be expensive…
SpaceX, the private space exploration company, made a significant breakthrough in their mission to reach space.
China's top tech firms, including Alibaba, Tencent, Baidu, NetEase, and JD.com, are developing their own versions of Open AI's AI-powered chatbot, ChatGPT
This shocking picture, showing how terrible is the results of the earthquake in Turkey
The desk of King Carlos Alberto of Sardinia has many secret compartments
Today's news from Britain - 9th February 2023
The five largest oil companies in the West generated combined profits of nearly $200 billion in 2022, which has led to increased calls for governments to impose tougher windfall taxes
2 earthquakes in Turkey killed over 2,300 people
Turkish photographer Ugur Gallenkus portrays two different worlds within a single image. Brilliant work
Charlie Munger, calls for a ban on cryptocurrencies in the US, following China's lead
EU found a way to use frozen Russian funds
First generation unopened iPhone set to fetch more than $50,000 at auction.
WARNING GRAPHIC CONTENT - US Memphis Police murdering innocent Tyre Nichols
Almost 30% of professionals say they've tried ChatGPT at work
×