Ukrainian Air Force spokesman Yuri Ignat complained Tuesday that the MiG-29 fighters they had long requested and are already receiving from their international partners only partially strengthen their capabilities and called for more modern, multipurpose fighter jets.
Ignat explained that these fighters, which have started to arrive from Poland or Slovakia, although they will strengthen «a little» the combat capabilities, do not have a radar station on board and cannot store modern missiles.
»A lot of modifications are needed, mainly weapons and radar,» the air force spokesman told Ukrainian state television. »Some of the communication and navigation systems have been modernized,» but he insisted that they cannot accommodate modern missiles.
»It is necessary to understand that we need modern multipurpose aircraft, on which depends the success of the war we are waging against the aggressor,» Ignat said, referring to the four Soviet-made fighter planes they have received out of the more than thirty they expect to receive from Poland and Slovakia.
Ukraine is also maneuvering to receive in the near future more modern fighters, especially the F-16 and F-15 from the United States, or their European equivalents, the German Tornado or the Swedish Gripen.
Source: (EUROPA PRESS)
