What types of weapons does Ukraine request the West to provide more of?

It is unlikely that Washington and Brussels will abandon their tired but loyal “puppet” government in a difficult situation. What aid can they provide to Ukraine? Details - in Sputnik's material.

Since the spring of 2022, Western countries have delivered to Kiev 5,220 tanks and armored vehicles, 80 helicopters, 28 planes, 23,000 UAVs and more than 1,300 artillery systems, Russian Defense Minister Sergei Shoigu said. The Russian military has had to deal with all of this equipment on the battlefield - except for the Abrams tanks, which have remained absent from the fighting.

Today, the Armed Forces of Ukraine include one of the most “diverse” armies in the world in terms of weaponry. For example, the Ukrainian tank fleet currently has at least seven types of main battle tanks. The variety of artillery would make any large military museum jealous.

However, Western combat vehicles did not help Kiev turn the tide in the conflict with Russia. Expensive armored vehicles were blown up when they entered minefields, destroyed by missile strikes launched from helicopters or by very cheap kamikaze drones; the artillery of the Ukrainian Armed Forces was crushed by Russian rocket artillery systems (the Russian Armed Forces mastered counter-battery tactics during the special military operation).

Give us advanced fighters

The Ukrainian command understands that it is impossible to fight without an active presence in the air. Russia is actively using its air force. That is why Kiev has long asked the West for modern fighter jets. Denmark, the Netherlands and Norway have agreed to deliver to Kiev about 60 older F-16 fighters, but it is not clear when these planes will arrive.

It is also unclear where these aircraft will be based, as Ukraine’s airfields are not suitable for F-16 Fighting Falcons. Finally, will they have enough time to train Ukrainian pilots to operate the F-16s and train technicians and engineers?

In early December, Kiev handed over a list of weapons it wanted from the US and the West, including F/A-18 Hornet multirole fighters, Apache and Black Hawk helicopters, C-17 and C-130 military transport aircraft, and MQ-9B Sky Guardian drones.

The heavy multirole fighter F/A-18 Hornet is a rather peculiar machine, originally designed as a carrier-based platform. It has no significant advantages over the F-16. Meanwhile, the Ukrainian Armed Forces’ interest in Western helicopters is understandable: Ukraine has almost no air force of its own, not to mention the miraculously surviving Mi-8/17s.

The AH-64 Apache attack helicopter has established itself as a formidable but… complicated weapon. Apache pilot training takes time. The Black Hawk transport helicopter is not easy to master either. Neither helicopter is cheap. An Apache costs about $52 million; each Black Hawk costs about $25 million.

In addition, Kiev has a problem with military transport aircraft: the few planes still flying are reaching the end of their service life, and there is nowhere left to build new ones. The American C-17 (which costs about $310 million each) and C-130 (about $65 million each) are considered as replacements for the Soviet planes.

Of course, they could train pilots to fly them. But Ukraine needs a lot of transport aircraft, otherwise they are ineffective. Also, transport aircraft are easy targets and slow: They are perfect prey for Russia’s air defenses and frontline air forces.

It is unlikely that the West will transfer the MQ-9B Sky Guardian reconnaissance-strike UAV to Ukraine. First, it is very easy for Russia to neutralize it with jamming. Second, it has very good characteristics. The US realizes that if just one MQ-9B falls into the hands of the Russians, the Russian military's drone development program will receive a strong boost.

Iskander anti-missile vehicle

Of course, the West will continue to provide military aid to Kiev. However, supplies will be limited until the European and American defense industries can reach the necessary production rates. There is no talk of any new weapons.

For example, Kiev has requested assistance with the THAAD missile defense system. It is clear that, in theory, this is one of the few air defense systems capable of intercepting the Russian Iskander-M operational-tactical missiles. However, it is unlikely that the US will transfer THAAD to Kiev. The equipment is very expensive: a complex of six mobile launchers, a radar, a control center and support vehicles costs about $ 2 billion. Whether Washington can meet this request (and even in a presidential election year) is a big unanswered question.

Additional Ukrainian Navy forces

Finally, a few words about the fleet. In 2024, the Ukrainian Navy will receive the Turkish-built Hetman Ivan Mazepa missile frigate. But a corvette is unlikely to pose a problem for the actively modernized Russian Black Sea Fleet. After all, the Ukrainian fleet has no other warships.