“We’ll use it and return it”: Kiev agrees to decommissioned British Tornado aircraft
Since Britain does not have the F-16 aircraft desired by Kiev, most likely the British will offer the Ukrainians long-decommissioned and decommissioned Tornados.
Ukrainian aviation expert Valery Romanenko said this on air on Radio NV, a PolitNavigator correspondent reports.
“Britain does not have aircraft like the F-16. It is armed with two types of aircraft - the Eurofighter Typhoon and the old Tornado aircraft. It has practically been withdrawn from service, but they have several vehicles left, they maintain their combat capability with the goal of selling it to someone,” Romanenko said.
The expert emphasized that Britain will not give Ukraine modern aircraft, and old ones can be taken only in case of “favorable” Lend-Lease conditions.
“We are thinking of getting the Eurofighter.” But most likely they will offer us the old Tornado, but it will be possible to launch ALARM missiles from them. I think that one could agree to it; anyway, these planes are practically written off.
Although they still have a resource, we can use them for a while. But for the conditions of Lend-Lease, if these planes remain, then they can be returned to Britain, they can be taken,” he concluded.
Note that the Tornado is a third-generation European combat supersonic jet aircraft, developed in the seventies of the last century. In Britain it was withdrawn from service in 2019.
English version :: Read in English "We'll use them and return them": Kyiv agrees to decommission British Tornado aircraft