It is a fact that, in modern military operations, the role of the Air Force is decisive, with the achievement of air superiority over the opponent being a key pursuit for the warring countries.
This is the reason why in the last period of time and having already passed a year since the Russian invasion of Ukraine, both the USA and other NATO countries are very carefully considering the further military reinforcement of Ukraine with long-range PATRIOT anti-aircraft systems, in addition to existing short-range man-portable anti-aircraft systems, BVR AIM-120 long-range air-to-air missiles, Russian-style fighter jets.
Poland announced it has already transferred some of its promised MiG-29 fighter jets to Ukraine, after NATO member Slovakia announced it had sent a first batch of its own.
“Some MiG-29s have already been sent. They are indeed useful for Ukraine in defense of our collective security," Polish presidential aide Marcin Przydacz told local radio station RMF FM.
Recall that, last month, Poland became the first NATO member to pledge fighter jets, when President Andrzej Duda said he would deliver an initial batch of four.
He said at the time that Poland currently had a dozen MiG planes, inherited from the former German Democratic Republic, which they were "on the verge" of sending to Ukraine.
Slovakia later announced that it would also send MiG-29s to Ukraine, specifying that they would consist of 10 operational fighters and another three that would be used for spare parts.
Late last month, Slovakia said it had already moved the first four of the promised jets, with the remaining nine to follow in the coming weeks.
Ukraine has repeatedly asked its Western allies to send warplanes, mostly modern American-made F-16s.
It has been reported that in a "checkmate move" by the US, they are attempting to equip Ukrainian MIGs with AIM-120 air-to-air BVR missiles, which, thanks to their long range, would prevent Russian aircraft from entering the combat zone, weakening thus providing close air support to combatant Russian ground forces.
So after the supply of modern tanks Leopard, Abrams, TOMB, TOMA, PEP from the West to the Ukrainians, the dispatch of fighter jets equipped with the deadly long-range air-to-air missile AIM-120, is estimated to turn the tables on the military operations being conducted in the long-suffering country.
The Ukrainian Air Force operates archaic Soviet-era fighter jets that have often been shot down by Russian warplanes that launch attacks from their airspace using long-range air-to-air missiles.
However, the delivery to Ukraine of Mig-29 fighter jets from Slovakia and Poland that we mentioned above, combined with the installation on them of American AIM-120 air-to-air BVR missiles, will largely balance the balance of air power with Russia, over the Ukrainian sky.
