Unity in supporting Ukraine towards the Russian invasion stays the touchstone of the Ukraine Defense Contact Group, Secretary of Defense Lloyd J. Austin III stated lately on the conclusion of the twelfth assembly of the gang.
The digital assembly introduced in combination protection leaders from 50 international locations that proceed to hurry safety help to Ukraine. Austin and Army Gen. Mark A. Milley, the chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, briefed the media following the assembly.
The army coaching and safety help the touch crew has delivered, coupled with the fantastic bravery and resourcefulness of the Ukrainian folks, has been decisive, up to now, each males stated. The crew of international locations has delivered air protection programs, armored automobiles and massive amounts of ammunition. Contact crew individuals have additionally skilled 1000’s of Ukrainian carrier individuals in those new functions. “Today, we committed to doing even more to support Ukraine’s fight for freedom,” Austin stated. “I came away from today’s meeting as confident as ever in the contact group’s resolve and sustained unity.”
Ukrainian Defense Minister Oleksii Reznikov briefed the touch crew individuals on the location in Ukraine and in regards to the follow-on necessities that Ukraine’s defenders will want within the weeks and months forward. The crew additionally mentioned essential capacity gaps that Ukraine is faces, the secretary stated. Many international locations stepped as much as shut the ones gaps. “One of Ukraine’s most urgent requirements is ground-based air defense,” Austin stated. “And this contact group will continue driving hard to help Ukraine defend the skies. In recent weeks, Russia has intensified its sordid bombardment of Ukrainian cities and infrastructure. And the Kremlin’s cruelty only underscores Ukraine’s need for a stronger, layered ground-based air defense architecture.”
The crew individuals additionally mentioned plans for coaching Ukrainian pilots on fourth era fighter airplane, together with the American-made F-16. “Planning and executing this training will be a significant undertaking, but the coordination of this contact group will help make that possible,” he stated. Austin thanked Denmark and the Netherlands, which volunteered to guide a European coalition in offering F-16 coaching for Ukrainian forces. “In the coming weeks, my Dutch and Danish counterparts will work with the United States and other allies to develop a training framework,” he stated. “Norway, Belgium, Portugal and Poland have already offered to contribute to training, and we expect more countries to join this important initiative soon.”
It will take a while for Ukraine to box a viable F-16 capacity. It takes time to coach all the ones eager about flying, keeping up, arming and maintaining the airplane. Austin stated it “is an important example of our long-term commitment to Ukraine security.”
Milley stated at first of the struggle, the United States and different touch crew international locations put the emphasis on ground-based air protection as the most efficient and fastest option to deny Russia air superiority over Ukraine. He famous that 10 F-16s are one thousand million greenbacks with sustainment prices of any other billion. “So, you’re talking about $2 billion for 10 aircraft,” he stated. “The Russians have thousands of fourth- and fifth-generation fighters. So, if you’re going to contest Russia in the air, you’re going to need a substantial amount of fourth- and fifth-generation fighters. If you look at the cost curve and do the analysis, the smartest thing to have done is exactly what we did do, which is provide a significant amount of integrated air defense to cover the battlespace and deny the Russians the airspace. And that is exactly what happened.”
For the long run, F-16s have a job, the overall stated. But it’s “going to take a considerable length of time to build up an air force that’s the size and scope and scale that’ll be necessary.”
The touch crew additionally lined maintaining the combat, and the protection leaders mentioned commercial base projects and coordinating manufacturing of essential apparatus, Austin stated. Contact crew individuals will proceed to paintings in combination to ship Leopard tanks to Ukraine, and Austin sees one thing an identical for F-16 functions.
Milley stated the Ukrainian leaders stay steadfast. “The bravery and the courage of the Ukrainian people is exemplary and inspires literally the world, and their courage and tactical skill in the face of extreme adversity is second to none,” he stated. They have succeeded in protecting their land. Milley stated Russian President Vladimir Putin envisioned a swift victory over Ukraine. “He could not have been more wrong,” he stated. “The Ukrainian people remain resolute, and their spirit is unyielding.”
The international locations of the touch crew also are steadfast, Austin stated. “That’s because nations of goodwill don’t want to live in a world where autocrats can invade their peaceful neighbors with impunity,” he stated. “So, we’re going to keep strengthening Ukraine’s position on a battlefield. We’re going to get Ukraine’s defenders what they need, when they need it. And we’re going to remain united. And we’re going to stand by Ukraine for as long as it takes.”