The Polish government stunned Washington on Tuesday by announcing it was ready to transfer its 28 MiG-29 fighter planes to the U.S., with the understanding that they would be handed over to Ukrainian pilots fighting off the Russian invasion.
The move, which came with a request that the U.S. supply Poland with used jets with “corresponding capabilities,” came after a week of back-and-forth negotiations between Washington and Warsaw over transferring the jets to Ukraine, which needs replacement jets to fight off the Russians.
keep the US out of it, just transfer them directly to Ukraine.
No way to do that. The deal is Poland gives up the migs but receive used F-16s in exchange. No F-16s; no migs methinks.
Poland also sidesteps the logistical challenge of getting the jets over the border avoiding potential aerial combat with their next door neighbor. It is the US orchestrating the NATO push back of the Russian invasion. So the ball is in the US court.
Poland had been asking for the U.S. to provide it with F-16 fighter jets to replace the MiGs.
F-16 production is backlogged, however, and the next recipient in line for new deliveries is Taiwan, which is facing renewed threats from China and has strong support from both parties in Congress.
In its statement, the Polish government specifically asked for “used” planes, a distinction that would allow the Biden administration to bypass congressional opposition to making Taiwan wait to receive its F-16s.
F-16 production is backlogged, however, and the next recipient in line for new deliveries is Taiwan, which is facing renewed threats from China and has strong support from both parties in Congress.
Taiwan isn’t under imminent threat right now. China is looking at the cluster… situation in Ukraine and at minimum re-evaluating its assumptions of how such an invasion attempt might go. Any such invasion would require lengthy preparations, the massive deployment of materiel in the coastal regions, and a propaganda campaign at least several months (or years) to lay the groundwork within China. We’ll know with a substantial degree of certainty at least half a year in advance if China wants to retake Taiwan.
The Polish government stunned Washington on Tuesday by announcing it was ready to transfer its 28 MiG-29 fighter planes to the U.S., with the understanding that they would be handed over to Ukrainian pilots fighting off the Russian invasion.
If the US and Poland weren’t prepared to let the Ukrainians pick up the jets from any NATO airbase, why was this plan ever floated in the first place?
In the short term it makes no sense to give away operational aircraft. Poland has the pilots and facilities necessary to operate them efficiently and effectively right now.
This is about the medium term, after the war and out a few years, for both Poland and Ukraine. Poland was hoping for some free F-16s.
If the US and Poland weren’t prepared to let the Ukrainians pick up the jets from any NATO airbase, why was this plan ever floated in the first place?
I read a report that the Pentagon was complaining about the optics of Ukrainian pilots taking off in Poland and flying straight into combat in Ukraine.
Seems people are making this a lot more complicated than it needs to be.
-Polish pilots deliver the planes to an airfield in western Ukraine, and Ukrainian pilots take them over there.
-Polish pilots fly the planes to a neutral space, Moldova. Ukrainian pilots take off from Moldova.
Concerns about Moldova making itself a Russian target by allowing the MiG hand-off? The Belorussian dictator has already been flashing a map around showing the Russian army will sweep in to Moldova as soon as Ukraine is rolled up, so they are in the crosshairs, whether they do anything, or not.
Belarus president stands in front of map indicating Moldova invasion plans
Poland already operates a number of F-16s, so getting rid of the Russian planes, in exchange for more 16s would simplify their logistics and training.
Even better if they can somehow get them for free. Poles are cheap skinflints. I know this as I’m half Polish. I think Poland hoped to conclude this deal quickly, before Romania and Bulgaria heard about it, because then those countries would want free F-16s also.
Poland has ordered 32 F-35s and that will be their very long term aircraft. It makes no sense to have 3 levels of fighter tech, so they would have to get toss the Mig-29s anyway.
What I’m really saying is that this has nothing to do with helping Ukraine in the short term. Jet fighter repair on the side of the road is not realistic.
https://www.dw.com/en/poland-says-will-only-send-planes-to-u… Warsaw had come up with a plan to transfer its Russian-made fighter planes to a US military base to be passed on to Ukraine as the Russian invasion draws close to its third week,but this was dismissed by Washington. What did Warsaw say? Polish Prime Minister Mateusz Morawiecki said a decision about providing his country’s fighter jets to Ukraine needed to be a joint decision made by NATO members. “We did not agree to supply planes by ourselves because it must be the decision of the whole of NATO,” he said during a press conference on Polish television. “The USA does not want these planes to come to Ukraine from American bases,” the adviser, Jakub Kumoch, told public broadcaster TVP Info. “Poland is ready to act, but only within the framework of the alliance, within the framework of NATO.”
Polish Prime Minister Mateusz Morawiecki said a decision about providing his country’s fighter jets to Ukraine needed to be a joint decision made by NATO members.
Because Putin threatened anyone transferring fighter jets as being considered an at of war on Russia.
Poland is seeing how slow NATO/world is reacting, more meme posting and postering than actual military help and wants a bigger country/target to directly give the fighter jets. Russia attack Poland, not too big a deal. Attack Germany and/or by default the USA, you have WW3 (if we are not already there).
Poland is seeing how slow NATO/world is reacting, more meme posting and postering than actual military help and wants a bigger country/target to directly give the fighter jets. Russia attack Poland, not too big a deal. Attack Germany and/or by default the USA, you have WW3 (if we are not already there).</i?>