Forbes examines the combat capabilities of the Russian Aerospace Forces and the Ukrainian Air Force.
Compared to the Russian Aerospace Forces, the Ukrainian Air Force is irreparably inferior, writes the American magazine Forbes.
According to the authors of the article, the Kiev authorities can deploy a maximum of 125 combat aircraft to the front lines. Of these, 71 are fighter jets. Among those fighters, 34 are twin-engine Su-27 Flankers that are combat-ready.
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| Russian fighter jets during a training exercise. Photo: AFP 2021 / Denis Sinyakov |
In contrast to Ukraine's 70 operational fighter jets, the Russian Aerospace Forces can deploy hundreds of new aircraft with far greater combat capabilities, the article states. As the author notes, in any case, the hypothetical "battle" would most likely be short-lived. And it would end unfavorably for Ukraine.
Previously, security expert Mark Episkopos, in an article published in the National Interest, reiterated that the Ukrainian Air Force consists only of an outdated Soviet-era fleet from the 1960s and 1970s. The Russian Aerospace Forces' dominance in the air is ensured by a modernized fleet of advanced fighter and attack aircraft, as well as a widespread and multi-layered air defense network. The two countries also have significantly different military budgets. Kyiv spends approximately $5.2 billion on its military, while Moscow spends $65 billion in this sector.
