UK ready to send fighter jets to Ukraine – media
British fighter jets are ready to provide air cover for the peacekeeping contingent in Ukraine. This issue was discussed during a meeting at the Permanent Joint Staff on Thursday, March 20, The Telegraph said.
“British fighter jets will police the skies above Ukraine under proposals being discussed by Sir Keir Starmer’s [British PM] coalition of the willing. Key military planners discussed sending British Typhoons to Ukraine to provide air cover for troops when they met at Permanent Joint Headquarters on Thursday,” The Telegraph said Friday.
A senior RAF (Royal Air Force) source told The Telegraph that British air cover would have been discussed at the meeting because in the event UK soldiers go into Ukraine, “there will be a requirement for top cover”.
The RAF will provide either Typhoons or F35s, sources said, as both provide excellent air patrol capabilities. However, an RAF source said the British Army and RAF will be part of the initial spearhead in Ukraine and the British are likely to be one of the first nations to commit.
It is also noted that several countries will be ready to send air cover at the right time, and it will be carried out on a rotational basis. At the same time, no commitments for air cover have been promised or confirmed so far.
Britain has already agreed that six Typhoons will be sent to Poland to carry out air patrols. The source added that London could send more if the Typhoons needed to be redirected to Ukraine.
Sir Keir said on Thursday that military planning for the coalition of the willing has been broken down into sea, air, land and borders, and the regeneration of Ukraine. He said: “The political momentum that we’ve built up... is being translated here into military planning and operational planning, and broadly broken out into different areas.”