Old fighter jets are still in use in the Ukrainian Air Force
2024-08-24
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A MiG-29 fighter jet launches a "Hammer" rocket-propelled bomb. Image courtesy of the Ukrainian Air Force
Comprehensive compilation Zhang Guiyu
The F-16 fighter jets obtained by Ukraine from the West have recently become the focus of public attention. However, outside the media spotlight, some Soviet-era legacies are still undertaking the most dangerous and difficult tasks in the country's air force. In mid-August, Ukrainian officials disclosed that its MiG-29 fighter jets launched the "Hammer" rocket-propelled bombs provided by France in actual combat, which is Ukraine's latest attempt to integrate old fighter jets with imported equipment.
A video posted on Facebook shows a MiG-29 fighter jet launching two "Hammer" bombs from under the right wing. From the pilot's perspective, it can be seen that the aircraft is equipped with a special weapon rack, perhaps to solve the compatibility problem between the carrier and the ammunition. The US "War Zone" website said that most of the precision-guided munitions provided to Ukraine by European and American countries use GPS-assisted guidance technology. Since the Ukrainian army's old fighter jets do not have corresponding data interfaces, they often need to be modified, such as temporarily adding a display and control terminal similar to a tablet in the cockpit.
Yuri Ignat, a press officer of the Ukrainian Air Force, said the video was originally scheduled to be released on the last Saturday of August, which is Ukraine's "National Aviation Day". However, on August 12, the pilot of the MiG-29 fighter was killed while performing a combat mission, and the military immediately decided to release the video in advance as a memorial to him. Ignat said that whether using the "Hammer", the US-made "HARM" anti-radiation missile, or the JDAM-ER precision-guided bomb, Ukrainian pilots face huge risks. "In order to successfully complete the mission, we must get close to the enemy's air defense system and fighter jets and use complex tactics... Under the influence of various factors, we sometimes suffer serious losses."
France announced at the beginning of this year that it would provide Ukraine with "Hammer" bombs. This ammunition weighs 250 kilograms and has a maximum theoretical range of 70 kilometers. Another video circulated on the social media platform "X" shows that the Ukrainian Air Force began using "Hammer" bombs to attack Russian targets around June this year, and the MiG-29 is the main carrier of this weapon. The Ukrainian side claims that its Su-25 attack aircraft and Su-27 fighters can carry "Hammer" bombs, but there is no clear evidence so far.
Some people noticed that the ground scenery can be clearly seen in the video, indicating that the aircraft is flying at a very low altitude. This detail once again confirms the outside world's speculation: The Ukrainian Air Force currently relies more on the "swing and drop" tactics to use Western weapons. The "swing and drop" tactics can be traced back to the Cold War. The key point is to allow the fighter to release ammunition during a rapid climb to avoid enemy air defense fire. "War Zone" analysis believes that the disadvantage of the "swing and drop" tactic is that it will significantly affect the accuracy of unguided ammunition, so it was initially only suitable for throwing tactical nuclear weapons. However, the "Hammer" bomb has a precision guidance function that can partially offset this problem. Its manufacturer, France's Safran Group, pointed out that the booster rocket can help the bomb fly over rugged terrain; even if it is launched from a low altitude, it can still hit a target 15 kilometers away and has a higher impact kinetic energy.
The air forces of both Russia and Ukraine are very cautious when operating in the war zone. For Ukraine, combining Western weapons with appropriate tactics will help improve the survivability of its old fighters. James Hecker, commander of the U.S. Air Force in Europe, mentioned at a conference last year that the closer the aircraft is to the ground, the lower the probability of being discovered by the other side, but the range of its own weapons will also be shortened. "Using specific tactics allows you to complete the mission in a low-key manner and return safely."
The War Zone said that Ukraine is gradually receiving more advanced F-16 fighters from Europe and the United States, but it will take several years to tap the full potential of these new fighters. In the process, the MiG-29 and other Soviet-era aircraft will continue to play a role for the Ukrainian Air Force and serve as a launch platform for precision-guided munitions provided by the West.
Source: China Youth Daily Client
