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In fact, the Russians had a good chance of gaining control of Ukrainian airspace. Here, Russian Air Force fighter jets fly over Red Square in Moscow on D-Day.
The Ukrainian air force is so powerful that Russian combat aircraft rarely fly in the air and rarely fly at low altitude. Therefore, thanks to Western weapons, the Ukrainians seem to be superior to the Russians in the air.
One reason for this: They were able to combine their Soviet MiG-29 fighter jets with the American AGM-88 Harm air-to-surface missiles – although the two designs are incompatible. again “Mirror“He writes that Ukraine was able to protect its airspace in this way.
The Russians actually have a lot more fighter planes. Moscow provided 550 aircraft for the “special operation”. It seemed unlikely that Ukraine would be able to protect its airspace. But the strategy of the Ukrainians thwarted the plans of the Russian aircraft.
Tactical Hideout and Search for Protected Fighter Aircraft
Ukrainian forces protect their combat aircraft well. Again and again they change their positions and protect the machines from Russian bombs by not storing them in large bases. Successfully: An American general who specializes in arms estimates that Ukraine still has 80 percent of its combat aircraft.
Very tight bend: Russian fighter jet crashes shortly after takeoff(00:41)
The MiG-29 combat aircraft is superior to Western combat aircraft in many respects. The jet is easy to maneuver and has a wing structure that prevents bullets from penetrating inside from below. Mikoyan-Gurevich aircraft can be used to attack targets on the ground as well as in the air. Landing and taking off the MiG-29 is especially easy, which is why the Ukrainian army sometimes uses highways as runways. If necessary, it can also be done on an herbal runway, Spiegel writes.
Connecting these fighter jets to the American AGM-88’s four-meter missile was a major challenge. A special converter had to be developed for this, which could serve as an interface between the missile and the aircraft.
Soviet-designed aircraft have been successfully modernized
But the Ukrainians not only installed American missiles on the MiG-29, but also managed to modernize the Sukhoi Su-27 with Western weapons. The Sukhoi Su-27 is a combat aircraft, the analogue of which is the American F-15 Eagle.
Missiles on Ukrainian combat aircraft can repel enemy anti-aircraft tanks and anti-aircraft systems. Russian aircraft can be detected on the radar. The clever construction, though not perfect, allowed the Ukrainians to protect their airspace and ensure that Russian fighter jets dared take off at a lower rate than expected. (jwg)
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