EU....120 European Jets Could Defend Ukraine's Skies Under 'SkyShield' Plan

[1srelluc]

120 combat jets could defend Ukraine's skies under "SkyShield" plan

The plan reported by The Guardian could allow European air defense of Ukraine without being operated by NATO.

www.newsweek.com

A collective force of 120 European fighter jets could secure Ukraine's skies from Russian attacks,
according to a plan drawn up by military experts.

The proponents of SkyShield have said that a European-led air protection zone which is operated separate to NATO could curb Russian cruise missile and drone attacks on Ukraine without provoking a wider conflict with Moscow.

Details of the plan, revealed on Thursday, have been welcomed by some Western leaders and military figures.

Newsweek has contacted the Ukrainian defense ministry for comment.

Ukraine's European allies are grappling with how to increase their support for Kyiv's fight against Russia in light of the Trump administration pausing its supply of military assistance and intelligence to the nation.

European leaders have been treading a fine line between balancing support for Kyiv without risking escalation and backers of SkyShield say that it could offer Ukraine protection without being a NATO operation against Moscow.

Can they scrape up 120 functional fighter jets and maintain the operational tempo? I don't think so.

Those EU countries don't have a ton of fighter jets. England has less than 150, France less than a hundred, Germany maybe 225 and so on.

I'd bet most of the German ones are not even operational given the sad condition of their armored force.

No, they will FAFO then scream Article 5 at the US.....Helen Keller could see this coming from another galaxy.

 

[toobfreak]

Can they scrape up 120 functional fighter jets and maintain the operational tempo? I don't think so.

That was my first question.

My other question is what does the EU do when Russia begins shooting them down with SAMS and MiGs.

 

[CrusaderFrank]

120 combat jets could defend Ukraine's skies under "SkyShield" plan

The plan reported by The Guardian could allow European air defense of Ukraine without being operated by NATO.

www.newsweek.com

A collective force of 120 European fighter jets could secure Ukraine's skies from Russian attacks,
according to a plan drawn up by military experts.

The proponents of SkyShield have said that a European-led air protection zone which is operated separate to NATO could curb Russian cruise missile and drone attacks on Ukraine without provoking a wider conflict with Moscow.

Details of the plan, revealed on Thursday, have been welcomed by some Western leaders and military figures.

Newsweek has contacted the Ukrainian defense ministry for comment.

Ukraine's European allies are grappling with how to increase their support for Kyiv's fight against Russia in light of the Trump administration pausing its supply of military assistance and intelligence to the nation.

European leaders have been treading a fine line between balancing support for Kyiv without risking escalation and backers of SkyShield say that it could offer Ukraine protection without being a NATO operation against Moscow.

Can they scrape up 120 functional fighter jets and maintain the operational tempo? I don't think so.

Those EU countries don't have a ton of fighter jets. England has less than 150, France less than a hundred, Germany maybe 225 and so on.

I'd bet most of the German ones are not even operational given the sad condition of their armored force.

No, they will FAFO then scream Article 5 at the US.....Helen Keller could see this coming from another galaxy.

They're just kidding

 

[Crepitus]

120 combat jets could defend Ukraine's skies under "SkyShield" plan

The plan reported by The Guardian could allow European air defense of Ukraine without being operated by NATO.

www.newsweek.com

A collective force of 120 European fighter jets could secure Ukraine's skies from Russian attacks,
according to a plan drawn up by military experts.

The proponents of SkyShield have said that a European-led air protection zone which is operated separate to NATO could curb Russian cruise missile and drone attacks on Ukraine without provoking a wider conflict with Moscow.

Details of the plan, revealed on Thursday, have been welcomed by some Western leaders and military figures.

Newsweek has contacted the Ukrainian defense ministry for comment.

Ukraine's European allies are grappling with how to increase their support for Kyiv's fight against Russia in light of the Trump administration pausing its supply of military assistance and intelligence to the nation.

European leaders have been treading a fine line between balancing support for Kyiv without risking escalation and backers of SkyShield say that it could offer Ukraine protection without being a NATO operation against Moscow.

Can they scrape up 120 functional fighter jets and maintain the operational tempo? I don't think so.

Those EU countries don't have a ton of fighter jets. England has less than 150, France less than a hundred, Germany maybe 225 and so on.

I'd bet most of the German ones are not even operational given the sad condition of their armored force.

No, they will FAFO then scream Article 5 at the US.....Helen Keller could see this coming from another galaxy.

Dude, they likely have a couple thousand operational fighters of various types.

 

[TroglocratsRdumb]

Looks like a WW3 risk

 

[jackflash]

120 combat jets could defend Ukraine's skies under "SkyShield" plan

The plan reported by The Guardian could allow European air defense of Ukraine without being operated by NATO.

www.newsweek.com

A collective force of 120 European fighter jets could secure Ukraine's skies from Russian attacks,
according to a plan drawn up by military experts.

The proponents of SkyShield have said that a European-led air protection zone which is operated separate to NATO could curb Russian cruise missile and drone attacks on Ukraine without provoking a wider conflict with Moscow.

Details of the plan, revealed on Thursday, have been welcomed by some Western leaders and military figures.

Newsweek has contacted the Ukrainian defense ministry for comment.

Ukraine's European allies are grappling with how to increase their support for Kyiv's fight against Russia in light of the Trump administration pausing its supply of military assistance and intelligence to the nation.

European leaders have been treading a fine line between balancing support for Kyiv without risking escalation and backers of SkyShield say that it could offer Ukraine protection without being a NATO operation against Moscow.

Can they scrape up 120 functional fighter jets and maintain the operational tempo? I don't think so.

Those EU countries don't have a ton of fighter jets. England has less than 150, France less than a hundred, Germany maybe 225 and so on.

I'd bet most of the German ones are not even operational given the sad condition of their armored force.

No, they will FAFO then scream Article 5 at the US.....Helen Keller could see this coming from another galaxy.

120 EU jet powered fighter aircraft, 120 Russian hyper sonic missiles. A fair exchange indeed!

 

[Zavulon]

That was my first question.

My other question is what does the EU do when Russia begins shooting them down with SAMS and MiGs.

And, what is even more important - when Russia begins burning down their airfields and supply chains.
"Planes on the ground, boots in the air".

 

[Zavulon]

Looks like a WW3 risk

It won't be a WW3 if the USA are neither participating nor facilitating the EU suiciders. Just a regional European war, in which EU will be defeated.

 

[Zavulon]

Dude, they likely have a couple thousand operational fighters of various types.

How many of them will survive a limited nuclear strike over airfields?

 

[Crepitus]

How many of them will survive a limited nuclear strike over airfields?

Is that an attempt to be relevant?

'Cause it's an ignorant question that really isn't part of this discussion.

How many American planes would?

 

[1srelluc]

Is that an attempt to be relevant?

'Cause it's an ignorant question that really isn't part of this discussion.

How many American planes would?

A nuke strike is more than a stretch but unless there's a cease fire wherever they staged out of would become legit targets.....Even in a NATO country. Then they would scream Article 5. They better look at Article 6 first.

Now I don't know if the Putin would want to go there as long as they don't get froggy supporting Uke ground troops, but there it is.

 

[Crepitus]

A nuke strike is more than a stretch but unless there's a cease fire wherever they staged out of would become legit targets.....Even in a NATO country. Then they would scream Article 5. They better look at Article 6 first.

Now I don't know if the Putin would want to go there as long as they don't get froggy supporting Uke ground troops, but there it is.

I doubt Putin wants to escalate to that scale, but you could be right if they supply ground forces,

OTOH NK is already doing that for Russia so...

 

[1srelluc]

I doubt Putin wants to escalate to that scale, but you could be right if they supply ground forces,

OTOH NK is already doing that for Russia so...

Then the EU can hit the NORKs and see how that works out for them.

 

[Zavulon]

Is that an attempt to be relevant?

'Cause it's an ignorant question that really isn't part of this discussion.

How many American planes would?

As long as America is neutral and doesn't want to commit murder-suicide just for empty jesture - it doesn't matter.

 

[Crepitus]

As long as America is neutral and doesn't want to commit murder-suicide just for empty jesture - it doesn't matter.

And that makes no sense.

 

[Zavulon]

And that makes no sense.

What exactly makes no sense? "Wish to survive"? Or the word "neutrality"?

 

[ThunderKiss1965]

I'm all for putting economic pressure on Russia to end this shit show, but military force is going to end badly. No one screaming for military intervention seems to realize or care that Russia has over 5500 nuclear weapons. 1600 are active strategic warheads. The US has around the same numbers. If Putin launches the US has to respond and then we are all fucked.

 

[Zavulon]

I'm all for putting economic pressure on Russia to end this shit show, but military force is going to end badly. No one screaming for military intervention seems to realize or care that Russia has over 5500 nuclear weapons. 1600 are active strategic warheads. The US has around the same numbers. If Putin launches the US has to respond and then we are all fucked.

Actually, Russia has much more than 5500 nukes, and what is even more important - most of those Russian nukes are modern and precise and with better delivery systems.
And no, if say, France, provoked Russia without direct American order (actually, provoked Russia exactly for undermining American leadership in NATO), and Russia nuked few French military bases (almost without civilian casualties), America won't retaliate (especially with counter-value strike). Americans are practical (and in their own way - moral) men, they are not going to commit mass murder-suicide just for the jesture.

 

[JWBooth]

120 combat jets could defend Ukraine's skies under "SkyShield" plan

The plan reported by The Guardian could allow European air defense of Ukraine without being operated by NATO.

www.newsweek.com

A collective force of 120 European fighter jets could secure Ukraine's skies from Russian attacks,
according to a plan drawn up by military experts.

The proponents of SkyShield have said that a European-led air protection zone which is operated separate to NATO could curb Russian cruise missile and drone attacks on Ukraine without provoking a wider conflict with Moscow.

Details of the plan, revealed on Thursday, have been welcomed by some Western leaders and military figures.

Newsweek has contacted the Ukrainian defense ministry for comment.

Ukraine's European allies are grappling with how to increase their support for Kyiv's fight against Russia in light of the Trump administration pausing its supply of military assistance and intelligence to the nation.

European leaders have been treading a fine line between balancing support for Kyiv without risking escalation and backers of SkyShield say that it could offer Ukraine protection without being a NATO operation against Moscow.

Can they scrape up 120 functional fighter jets and maintain the operational tempo? I don't think so.

Those EU countries don't have a ton of fighter jets. England has less than 150, France less than a hundred, Germany maybe 225 and so on.

I'd bet most of the German ones are not even operational given the sad condition of their armored force.

No, they will FAFO then scream Article 5 at the US.....Helen Keller could see this coming from another galaxy.

Targets of opportunity.

 

[JWBooth]

I'm all for putting economic pressure on Russia to end this shit show, but military force is going to end badly. No one screaming for military intervention seems to realize or care that Russia has over 5500 nuclear weapons. 1600 are active strategic warheads. The US has around the same numbers. If Putin launches the US has to respond and then we are all fucked.

It won't be a WW3 if the USA are neither participating nor facilitating the EU suiciders. Just a regional European war, in which EU will be defeated.

US politics will not allow for staying on the sidelines, no matter the will of the people.