‘It’s complicated': Australia snubs Ukraine’s request for fighter jets
Australian Defence Minister Richard Marles
Casting doubt over a proposal to supply Ukraine with retired fighter jets, Australia on Thursday said the matter was “complicated".Kyiv earlier requested dozens of retired F-18 fighter jets from Canberra, saying it would significantly boost its air power against the Russian forces.
Australian Defence Minister Richard Marles said the discussions around the F-18 fighter jets were “going on”, but added they were much more difficult than any other form of military support.
‘We need to be practical’
While Australia on Wednesday ramped up its support for Ukraine on the sidelines of the NATO summit which concluded in Lithuania, it stopped short of making any promise on fighter jets. Australia announced that it will send an additional fleet of 30 armoured Bushmaster infantry vehicles at a cost of US$67 million to the war-battered nation.
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However, the country’s defence minister added that sending aircraft “becomes a much more complicated question."
"The situation around aircraft is pretty complicated, but we will keep having the conversation with Ukraine around that. What we give, and what we do, needs to be practical and needs to make a difference," said Richard Marles.
Ukraine requested aircraft in June
Ukraine is setting its eyes on the Royal Australian Air Force's fleet of 71 F-18s that was retired from service between 2019 and 2021. According to military experts, around 40 retired fighter jets are currently sitting in storage; however, it was not clear how many of them were operational.
Ukraine in June requested Australia to provide some of those fighter jets to help its counteroffensive against Russia. Ukraine's ambassador to Australia, Vasyl Myroshnychenko, said in June, “There has been a request for information. Ukraine is looking at fighter jet capabilities, including this one."
Ukraine’s current aerial firepower
According to the International Institute for Strategic Studies' Military Balance publication, Ukraine currently possesses around 82 fighter and attack jets. Sending these aircraft to Ukraine would involve significant diplomatic and logistical negotiations, making a swift agreement unlikely.
Meanwhile, Australia recently revealed its plan to deploy an E-7A Wedgetail surveillance plane to Germany temporarily. The aircraft will be stationed there for six months and will be responsible for monitoring supply routes that connect to Ukraine.
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