Air Force idea: Give Ukraine warplanes, training
U.S. Air Force leaders have raised the possibility of training Ukrainian pilots in the United States and giving Ukraine the U.S. fleet of A-10 Warthog groundattack planes — an idea that could solve a problem for both countries.
The notion is a classic trial balloon. Air Force Secretary Frank Kendall this week entertained the idea of giving the A-10 planes to
Ukraine, while adding it was still in the discussion phase.
Such a plan could make sense. Ukraine needs more air power and more ways to destroy Russian artillery and tanks, and the Warthog was designed during the Cold War to do just that.
And the Air Force has for years wanted to get rid of the A-10s. That would free up maintenance money for new planes that can be used for multiple purposes and would be more effective in a possible conflict with China.
But Congress has blocked every attempt to retire the A-10.
Under the Obama administration, Defense Secretary Robert Gates tried to retire the plane, only to be opposed by Sen. Kelly Ayotte, R-N.H. Congress instead approved money to modernize and extend the life of the planes, a project that was completed in 2019.
Under Kendall, the Air Force has tried to retire the planes to save money to modernize the military. But the most recent attempt to mothball the Warthog was blocked by Sen. Mark Kelly, D-Ariz.
Meanwhile, the White House on Friday announced an additional $270 million in security assistance to Ukraine.
That brings the total U.S. security assistance committed to Ukraine by the Biden administration to $8.2 billion. It’s being paid for via $40 billion in economic and security aid approved by Congress in May.
The new package includes four High Mobility Artillery Rocket Systems, or HIMARS, and will allow Kyiv to acquire up to 580 Phoenix Ghost drones. The latest assistance includes some 36,000 rounds of artillery ammunition.