Could Western countries facilitate forming in a volunteer fighter squadron for Ukraine with surplus F-16s and former F-16 pilots?
Ukraine's air defenses could be running on fumes. This despite the success Ukraine has had:
And now a new report is warning that Ukraine is in danger of running out of the weapons it needs to stave off the massive Russian air attacks.
The report, from London-based think tank the Royal United Services Institute (Rusi), warns that unless Western nations maintain and step up their supply of air defences to Ukraine. then Russia is likely to use the same bombing techniques it used in Syria, to devastating effect. ...
The report's lead author, Justin Bronk, told the BBC that what Ukraine really lacks is modern, multi-role combat aircraft to keep the Russian airforce at bay. He suggests one possibility would be Nato's F16 fighter, of which thousands have been built.
Can the West sustain ground-based air defenses by finding missiles for Ukraine's Soviet air defense weapons? Probably not. Can the West supply enough replacement air defense weapons? Probably not.
Ukraine may need a boost to their fighter aircraft capabilities to keep the Russian air force off the Ukrainian ground forces backs. I think a volunteer squadron could speed up the process of getting Western fighter planes to Ukraine.
Setting up a volunteer fighter squadron for Ukraine has precedent.
Beginning in 1932 in response to Japan's takeover of Manchuria, America sent personnel to China to build up a defensive Chinese air force to defend "China proper." The effort made progress until U.S.-Chinese disagreements and Japanese pressure ended that program in 1934. Interestingly enough, Mussolini continued that program. In 1937 the Chinese invited Claire Chennault to inspect the Italian-controlled Chinese air force. He took a medical retirement from the American Army's air corps to do this.
Chennault found that the Italians graduated politically connected pilots without regard to their skill level. When put to the test against Japan's well-trained pilots when Japan invaded in 1937, the Chinese air force was exposed as hollow and crushed. Influential Chinese proposed recruiting an international air unit to get an air force faster than it could be trained from within China.
The International Air Squadron brought in American, British, and Dutch pilots to fly aircraft purchased by China. It went down in flames pretty quickly and was largely out of the fight by early 1938.
The Russians sent in regular air force units to support the Chinese in the north. And trained some good Chinese air units. But they were greatly outnumbered and couldn't fight everywhere.
The American Volunteer Group was brought in to fill the coverage gap. In 1940 the Chinese proposal met resistance in America because of the urgent need to supply Britain and expand America's military. But proponents managed to convince President Roosevelt.
The organizers managed to acquire 100 P-40 fighters rejected by Britain. As war between Japan and America edged closer in 1941, the men, planes, equipment, and supplies moved toward China which was still under assault by Japan. The pilots were trained to use every bit of their plane's capabilities and taught to respect and fight their foes.
The AVG--more popularly known as the Flying Tigers--was meant to be a temporary air force until China could build their own with American help. That intent was changed by Pearl Harbor. And by mid-1942 the group was absorbed into the American air force in China.
Today Russia has absolute numerical superiority over Ukraine although the Russians have not tried to exert air superiority over the Ukrainians. But Russian missiles and drones strike Ukrainian targets frequently. Even Western air defense missiles aren't able to protect Ukraine adequately.
Perhaps a volunteer foreign air group could be established under Ukrainian control to provide what Ukraine wanted NATO to do early in the war--essentially defend a no-fly zone over Ukraine. No offensive action. The group could provide air defense over Ukraine's cities and military assets.
A number of countries operate the F-16 and could be a source of aircraft for the squadron. This is one factor that argues for this plane over other alternatives. America would not have to supply any planes directly. And a lot of the countries that have used the F-16 aren't NATO members, so the bulk of the combat pilots and maintainers could be recruited from non-NATO states.
If there are enough Western pilots out of military service for China to hire to train its pilots, surely some can be diverted to help defend Ukraine.
Former pilots (for training and
planning) and ground crews could be from NATO with less risk, I suppose. Although if the air mission is limited to territory controlled by Ukraine, even pilots who have to eject should be safe from capture.
Western states could train Ukrainians to fly and maintain F-16s and gradually reinforce and replace the foreign volunteers. The squadron could grow to a wing eventually.
The temporary nature of the Flying Tigers was ended by American entry into the war after Japan's attack on America rather than by creating a Chinese air force to absorb it. Unless Russia decides to expand a war it is having trouble fighting to one against all of NATO, the Ukraine volunteer group could be a temporary unit until Ukraine can absorb it into their air force.
The Ukrainians are apparently doing a good job deconflicting their air space with their own air defense missiles and aircraft flying through it. So one more air force squadron should not be a problem, eh?
And the name? How about the Flying Nightingales after Ukraine's official bird?
UPDATE: Sweden's Gripen fighter might be the best fighter on a plane-to-plane comparison for Ukraine's needs. But it isn't widespread enough to be as useful for Ukraine.
UPDATE: Have no doubt Western volunteers will have a path into Ukraine.
[NOTE: Material on the Flying Tigers taken from a Ballantine's Illustrated History of the Violent Century book of the same name. I have a lot of them.]
NOTE: War updates continue here.
