Summary

  • Zelenskky urges allies for increased air defense support.
  • Ukraine seeks Western long-range weapons for offense.
  • Allies donate various air defense systems to replenish Ukraine’s capabilities.

Addressing a meeting at the monthly Ukrainian Defense Contact Group, Ukrainian President Volodymry Zelenskyy stated allies should increase their contributions to Ukraine’s air defense. Ukraine recently fought off what may have been the largest stand-off missile and drone attack in history. While it succeeded in shooting a huge number of missiles and drones down, many struck home, and Ukraine also lost a newly-arrived F-16 for unclear reasons as it engaged Russian missiles.

Zelenskky pleads for more air defense

Zelenskky has once again called for more air defense systems to be donated so that it can continue to fend off seemingly relentless Russian air attacks on the country. He also reiterated Ukraine’s desire and need to use Western-provided long-range weapons to strike targets in Russia and not wait for them to attack Ukraine at a time and place of their choosing.

F-16 launching missile

Photo: US Air Force

“The world has enough air defense systems to ensure that Russian terror does not have results, and I urge you to be more active in this war with us for the air defense. We have already started operating F-16s. Thank you for this support, Secretary! And to you, partners! They strike down missiles and drones, they are very efficient. But they are few. You know that. We need a much stronger fleet of F-16s, and I have proposals that I will say when the press leaves.” – Zelenskyy

Speaking at the event, Secretary of Defense Lloyd J. Austin III stated Russia had lost 97 combat aircraft in the war, but the (on paper) powerful Russian Air Force has continued to adapt. According to Air and Space Forces, he stated, “Over and over, Ukraine has stood up to Putin’s aggression and atrocities, and this coalition has Ukraine’s back.”

The Ukraine Defense Contract Group is the monthly meeting of 57 countries committed to supporting Ukraine and consists of the United States, most European countries, and other countries like Australia, New Zealand, Canada, and South Korea. 16 countries are supplying, training, and sustaining the F-16 fighter jets to Ukraine.

Replenishing and transforming Ukraine’s air defense

As one of the main inheritors of the Soviet Union, Ukraine went into the war with a formidable legacy air defense system. However, the cost of denying Ukrainian airspace to the Russian Air Force, intercepting drones and missiles, and attrition from Russian attacks on the system have placed a huge strain on it. Ukraine’s partners initially moved to find replacement Soviet munitions and systems to keep the legacy systems operating.

As Ukraine’s Soviet SAMs ran out of missiles, the West has been rushing to jerry-rig them to fire Western missiles (like AIM-9M Sidewinder missiles) available in greater numbers. These are called FranskenSAMs.

he MIM-104 Patriot is a surface-to-air missile (SAM) system

Photo: Karolis Kavolelis l Shutterstock

Allies have also been donating everything from aging Hawk missile SAMs to advanced (and expensive) Patriot SAMs. According to the Oyrx blog, Germany has pledged or delivered three Patriot batteries (plus another two launchers), the Netherlands five Patriot launchers, the US two Patriot batteries, and Romania one Patriot battery, while Italy and France have delivered or pledged two SAMP/T batteries (the European counterpart). Many NASAMS and ISIS-T systems have also been pledged or delivered.

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