Posted on 04/04/2014 8:06:36 PM PDT by sukhoi-30mki
KIEV, April 4 (RIA Novosti) Several mothballed Mikoyan Mig-29 Fulcrum fourth-generation fighter jets were returned to combat service in western Ukraine, the countrys Defense Ministry said on Friday.
Specialists of our team have already returned several planes to service, the ministry quoted an unnamed commander of an Air Force unit near Ivano-Frankivsk as saying. We are now conducting test flights. Soon, more mothballed fighter jets will take off again.
The state of Ukraines armed forces came under close scrutiny when the new government took office in late February, after months of violent uprising.
Kiev launched extensive combat readiness checks of its armed forces in early March, following Crimeas announcement that it was ready to secede from Ukraine and join Russia.
Defense Minister Ihor Tenyukh said in his report to the president that the checks revealed unsatisfactory condition of the armed forces.
He said that out of 507 combat planes and 121 attack helicopters, only 15 percent are serviceable. Air Force crews lack proper training and only 10 percent of them are capable of performing combat tasks.
“Its the pilot, the training and the experience, not the plane.”
Like being a professional bowler and using a house ball.
Hundreds, but that doesn’t we have the manpower to maintain and fly them.
Oops.
Perhaps I was wrong about using Chernobyl but it would make a good Wonder Woman episode. B-)
“Polish RAF pilots had lower quality planes than their British counterparts during the Battle of Britain, but had a higher kill ratio. Its the pilot, not the plane.”
That was 73 years ago. This is now. Ever seen an F-22?
Check Google or elsewhere before I do. The Poles flew either Hurricanes or Spitfires, as well as what they had from their original Polish Air Force (perhaps P 39 Aercobras).
I’ll get back here with some infor on this issue.
I’m backkkkk!
Poles flew their own PZL P.11 and P.7 in Poland at the beginning of the war. Took some to other countries with the fall of their country.
Flew French Caudron C 714 and MS 406 fighters.
Flew British Hawker Hurricanes (300 - 303 Squadrons). Then Got Spitfires and P 51 Mustangs.
British nightfighters: Defiants, Beaufighters and Mosquitoes.
In Russia they flew Yak 1 and Yak 9’s.
Best records were obtained in the Hurricanes and Spitfires during the Battle of Britain and over France.
Google “Polish Air Force in WW2” and you’ll get a lot of information on what they flew and how well they performed.
Extremely brave men.
Ukraine is in no condition to fight a war with Russia.
They aren’t in any condition to fight a war with Monaco.
“Its the pilot, not the plane.”
Yes and no. There is still only so much a pilot can do to overcome the tech disadvantage. Otherwise one could claim a WWI biplane is the equal of an F-22.
The technology is useless without the pilot, but that doesn’t make the pilot the only consideration.
The expression “Its the pilot, not the plane.” makes a great movie line. But movie war tactics are a poor way to go to real war.
Worst.idea.ever.
The advantage that the Ukrainians have is that they could engage in long term guerilla warfare against Russia in the event of an occupation, something that would make dealing with the Chechens to be a happy memory in comparison. Particularly in Western Ukraine where there is zero love for the Russians.
Yes but they have enough partisans to make an occupation largely untenable. Russian soldiers returning in coffins arent greeted anymore favorably.
Yeah, you’re right, I was unfamiliar with the European weather patterns, a Chernobyl blast would backfire.
Don't forget motivation, the willingness to get into the fight, of which the Polish pilots had plenty. A pilot can be as trained and experienced as you want, and can have an excellent plane. None of that matters squat if he refuses to engage.
Look at the Iraqi pilots at the start of the first Gulf War, who fled to Iran rather than face US forces.
Yeah. I heard they were remaking Top Gun.
Will they actually have straight people in the leading roles this time?
As it stands, an F22 pilot has to face several gen4 opponents to get a workout. F22 isn’t magic, but it is a superior craft that only the foolish take lightly.
Information technology has been the
biggest boon for aviation since the 60s and 70s. Now they have a heads up helmet, with intigrated tracking and ID data. If one plane sees a missile, all of them see it, track it, and know who it is engaging. And it is done with a simple icon on the helmet display.
And rumor has it their newest weapon is a radar almost impossible to detect, and able to pulse as an emp weapon to jam or fry an incoming missile.
Does Ukraine have adequate spare parts on hand? They might experience a back order from the Mikoyan factory, maybe...just guess’in.
I saw a P-51 at the Cody airport the other day and it looked far more effective than any F-35 I haven't seen.
Disclaimer: Opinions posted on Free Republic are those of the individual posters and do not necessarily represent the opinion of Free Republic or its management. All materials posted herein are protected by copyright law and the exemption for fair use of copyrighted works.