Latest news with #Soviet-era
New York Post
12 hours ago
- Politics
- New York Post
We're training Ukraine's brave F-16 pilots — here's what they need to keep fighting
After years of delay, Ukraine's Air Force is flying the F-16 fighter jets it's received from NATO — and, during a training visit this month, we saw for ourselves how these 'Vipers' are remaking the battlefield both in and from the skies. Ukrainian F-16s are striking Russian assets and engaging Russian aircraft, missiles and drones more effectively than the UAF's old Soviet-era aircraft ever could. However, Kyiv still needs help with maintenance, training and munitions to bring the full warfighting capability of the F-16 to the fight. The Ukrainians now have a mix of Danish, Dutch and Norwegian Vipers, flown by English-speaking Ukrainian pilots who previously piloted Soviet-era aircraft like the MiG-29 and Su-27. With training from the United States, the Netherlands, Romania and other European partners, Ukraine's F-16 pilots have done great work — especially in engaging Russian cruise missiles and Iranian-designed Shaheed drones, taking pressure off ground-based defenders. Some UAF pilots have already intercepted more than 20 missiles and drones. To keep these Vipers in the air, Ukraine needs the 'lifecycle maintenance' package that normally comes along with foreign military sales of US weapons systems: parts, test equipment, maintenance stands and consumables like tires and filters — mundane requirements overlooked when the first planes were delivered. The Western support plan also didn't consider that an F-16 is not a MiG. American technology and tactics make the F-16 ideal for 'decentralized operations' — not for Soviet-style 'close control' micromanagement from the ground. Top to bottom, the UAF must revise its doctrine and tactics to fully exploit the Viper's radar capabilities and agility — as well as the ingenuity of the humans operating it. That will require a cultural shift. Senior Ukrainian officers must buy in to the Western way of fighting, from strategic and operational planning to day-to-day tactical execution. As we saw, the current cadre of Viper pilots gets it. The sooner their mindset takes root more broadly, the more success Ukraine will see on the battlefield. And while these are significant challenges, some help is on the way. Just hours after Washington and Kyiv signed a critical minerals deal in early May, President Trump's State Department approved a $310 million sale of equipment and training for F-16 modifications and upgrades; operation, maintenance and sustainment; spare parts and consumables; and software and technical documentation, as part of America's investment in Ukraine's industrial development. Also: The United States is reportedly giving Ukraine non-operational F-16s from its 'boneyard' of retired aircraft — hulks without engines or radars that will provide much-needed parts to keep the UAF jets in the air. Sweden has donated two Saab 340 airborne early-warning and control aircraft. These planes will drastically improve the overall air domain awareness for Ukraine's F-16s and increase the lethality of its entire integrated air and missile defense force. And critically, more Ukrainian pilots are being trained in the United States and Europe. To sustain combat operations for the long haul, squadrons should have about two pilots for every aircraft — a ratio the Ukrainians woefully lack today. But to put pressure on Russian air and ground forces, there's more we can do. First, the UAF needs a low-cost, air-to-air weapon to engage Moscow's missiles and drones. Ukraine's Viper pilots now mostly use the AIM-9 Sidewinder for such missions. It's expensive — more than 10 times the cost of a Russian drone — and Western stockpiles are low. The Advanced Precision Kill Weapons System, a small, laser-guided rocket, is a far better option. They're much cheaper than Russian long-range kamikaze drones, and an F-16 can carry 28 or more of them — compared to only four AIM-9s — on a single sortie. That means pilots can engage exponentially more targets on a given mission. Get opinions and commentary from our columnists Subscribe to our daily Post Opinion newsletter! Thanks for signing up! Enter your email address Please provide a valid email address. By clicking above you agree to the Terms of Use and Privacy Policy. Never miss a story. Check out more newsletters The Ukrainians already use the APKWS in a land-based counter-drone mission. Washington and partner nations must quickly give the UAF all the necessary hardware, software and tactical employment guidance necessary to get it airborne, too. Next, Ukraine needs advanced electronic warfare self-protection pods for its F-16s. These systems, which usually include jammers and decoy elements, would help Ukraine's F-16s evade Russian defenses, allowing them to operate closer to the front lines. Finally, Western countries transitioning from F-16s to F-35s, such as the Netherlands and Denmark, should open their warehouses for a 'garage sale' — and the Ukrainians should pull some 18-wheelers up to their doors. Almost none of these nations' F-16 parts, consumables and maintenance gear will transition over to the F-35, so Ukraine can help clear out their clutter. Vladimir Putin has ramped up Russia's deadly aerial attacks on Ukrainian civilians and cities — spurring Trump to explode, 'He's playing with fire!' With a little extra support for Ukraine's F-16s, Kiev can answer Moscow with some fire of its own. Rear Adm. (Ret.) Mark Montgomery co-leads the Air and Missile Defense Program at the Foundation for Defense of Democracies. Maj. Gen. (Ret.) Charles Corcoran is an independent consultant focused on national security and defense.
New York Post
17 hours ago
- General
- New York Post
Shocking video shows plane skidding off runway — right toward a gas station
Wheel close call. Shocking video captures the moment a plane's landing gear collapsed, causing it to skid off the runway toward a gas station in a shower of sparks. The Russian Antonov An-24 turboprop plane was trying to land in the Siberian town of Irkutsk on Monday with 46 passengers and five crew members on board when the front wheel dramatically snapped off, according to local reports. Heart-stopping security footage from the airport in the Irkutsk region of Russia shows the Angara Airlines plane skidding out of control, sending sparks flying into the sky as the fuselage scrapes along the runway. 4 The shocking moment a passenger plane skids off the runway in Russia. Eastern Interregional SUT SK of Russia/Newsflash/NX As the plane veered off the runway, it appeared to be heading directly toward a gas station just next to the airport, passengers said. 'A sharp nose-down tilt, a jolt, and then a grinding noise as the metal fuselage scraped along the asphalt. 'I looked out the window and saw sparks burst out from under the front of the aircraft. Women and children were screaming 'Mother!' out of fear,' one passenger, Marina Sinkova, told local outlet Komsomolskaya Pravda. 4 The plane's landing gear collapsed, causing it to shoot off the runway. Eastern Interregional SUT SK of Russia/Newsflash/NX As the aircraft turned sharply down, passengers felt 'a jolt, and then a grinding noise as the metal fuselage scraped along the asphalt,' she added. 'When it became clear what was happening, there was only one thought in my head, 'Please don't let the plane crash into the petrol station'. Then, when I looked out of the window again, the plane stopped. There was grass around. Thank goodness it was over. We're alive!' Sinkova said. 4 The 46 passengers and 5 crew members were uninjured. Eastern Interregional SUT SK of Russia/Newsflash/NX The Antonov An-24, a Soviet-era plane designed in the 1950s, has one of the worst flight safety records in the world. It has been involved in 159 crashes resulting in more than 2,000 fatalities since coming into service in 1957, official records show. 4 The Antonov An-24 has one of the worst flight safety records in the world. NX Later footage shows the plane nose-down in the grass after an emergency evacuation was ordered for the passengers and crew. The plane had been making the brief one-hour 40-minute flight from Irkutsk when its nose gear collapsed, the East Siberian Transport Prosecutor's Office, which is investigating the incident, said in a statement. Remarkably, no serious injuries were reported among the passengers or crew on board. The event was classified as a serious aviation incident, and the airport was closed for a day while Rosaviatsia, Russia's Federal Air Transport Agency, launched its investigation. The airport reopened on Tuesday.
Scottish Sun
19 hours ago
- Politics
- Scottish Sun
China floods sea bases with nuke bombers, terrifying satellite pics show – as US warns Xi could SEIZE Taiwanese islands
Click to share on X/Twitter (Opens in new window) Click to share on Facebook (Opens in new window) CHINA has deployed its most dangerous nuke bombers to a tiny but vital island sea base, satellite pictures show. The act of aggression comes after US intelligence warned that China could seize Taiwan's smaller islands as the first step of a full-scale invasion. Sign up for Scottish Sun newsletter Sign up 8 A KJ-500 early warning plane and Y-20 transport aircraft parked on the tarmac on Woody Island Credit: Reuters 8 The two Chinese H-6 bombers are seen in this satellite photo Credit: Reuters 8 China could storm Taiwan's smaller islands ahead of a full invasion, US intelligence warned Aerial photos show two hulking H-6 bombers on an airfield on Woody Island in the South China Sea, taken on May 19. The long-range aircraft date back to the 1950s and were modelled on Soviet-era warplanes. But they've been souped-up to unleash modern weapons including hypersonic and nuclear missiles. They are considered China's most advanced bombers, and this is the first time they've been spotted on the outpost in five years. The photos also show two Y-20 transport aircraft and a KJ-500 early warning plane around Woody Island on the same day. The KJ-500 is thought vital to China's expansion of its air and sea campaign, as it tackles increasingly-complex operations. Woody is part of the the Paracel Islands, which are roughly halfway between China and Vietnam and the object of an ownership dispute between the two nations. China built a city called Sansha on Woody Island in 2012, which Beijing uses to lord over the rest of the Paracels and the Spratly Islands. Collin Koh, a Singaporean defence expert, said: "China's long-range bombers don't need to be on the Paracels so it does appear to be omni-directional signalling by Beijing - against the Philippines and against the US and other things that are going on." The clear act of aggression ominously plays into a prophecy made by US intelligence earlier this week about China's well-known ambitions to take Taiwan - which Beijing claims is rightfully theirs. When China is most likely to invade Taiwan… expert's chilling forecast A report warned that China could begin seizing Taiwan's smaller outlying islands as a precursor to a full-blown invasion. The vast majority of Taiwan's population lives on the main island, but Taipei also controls a smattering of smaller island chains. These include the Kinmen and Matsu islands close to the Chinese mainland, the Pratas and Taiping in the South China Sea, and the Penghu archipelago nearer to Taiwan. Storming these islands is one of the options on the table for China's military generals - who continue to brandish threats of a full-scale invasion of Taiwan. The danger was aired in the latest Worldwide Threat Assessment report earlier this month by the US Defence Intelligence Agency. The swarm of warplanes is the latest in a series of operation designed to intimidate Taiwan. 8 Soldiers of China's People's Liberation Army Navy patrol on Woody Island Credit: Reuters 8 An advanced Chinese H-6 bomber - two of which have been deployed to Woody Island Credit: EPA 8 Woody Island is part of the Paracels - which China and Vietnam both claim ownership of Credit: Reuters Last month, Xi Jinping launched a full round of army, navy and rocket forces exercises encircling Taiwan. Some 19 warships and 50 aircraft loomed near the island in what Beijing called a "stern warning" and "powerful deterrent against Taiwanese independence". And in March, chilling pictures showed Beijing's giant D-Day-style invasion barges. The giant troop-carrying barges are capable of delivering fleets of tanks and thousands of troops directly onto Taiwanese roads. The DIA report did not predict an all-out invasion of Taiwan in 2025, but said China could scale-up attacks elsewhere. The agency said: 'China possesses a variety of military options to coerce Taiwan, including increasing the frequency and scope of China's military presence operations, air and maritime blockades, seizure of Taiwan's smaller outlying islands, joint firepower strikes, and a full-scale amphibious invasion of Taiwan." 8 Xi Jinping has been ratcheting up aggression against Taiwan Credit: AFP 8 Taiwan runs regular military drills of its own to prepare for the threat of a Chinese invasion Credit: EPA It added: 'China appears willing to defer seizing Taiwan by force as long as it calculates unification ultimately can be negotiated, the costs of forcing unification continue to outweigh the benefits, and its stated redlines have not been crossed by Taiwan or its partners and allies.' The US intelligence report also warned that Beijing will continue terrorising Taiwan with its 'campaign of diplomatic, information, military and economic pressure' to achieve its long-term goal of 'reunification'. Taipei has not cowered in the face of China's bullying, flexing its military muscles in return. Last month it launched 14 days of war games to prepare for the "worst case scenario". The operations were part of Taiwan's annual Han Kuang series of military exercises that put the island's defence capabilities to the test. The computer drills used the US-built Joint Theater Level Simulation platform to simulate a full-scale assault on the island by China.
The Irish Sun
19 hours ago
- Politics
- The Irish Sun
China floods sea bases with nuke bombers, terrifying satellite pics show – as US warns Xi could SEIZE Taiwanese islands
CHINA has deployed its most dangerous nuke bombers to a tiny but vital island sea base, satellite pictures show. The act of aggression comes after US intelligence warned that China could seize Taiwan's smaller islands as the first step of a full-scale invasion. Advertisement 8 A KJ-500 early warning plane and Y-20 transport aircraft parked on the tarmac on Woody Island Credit: Reuters 8 The two Chinese H-6 bombers are seen in this satellite photo Credit: Reuters 8 China could storm Taiwan's smaller islands ahead of a full invasion, US intelligence warned Aerial photos show two hulking H-6 bombers on an airfield on Woody Island in the South China Sea, taken on May 19. The long-range aircraft date back to the 1950s and were modelled on Soviet-era warplanes. But they've been souped-up to unleash modern weapons including hypersonic and nuclear missiles. They are considered China's most advanced bombers, and this is the first time they've been spotted on the outpost in five years. Advertisement The photos also show two Y-20 transport aircraft and a KJ-500 early warning plane around Woody Island on the same day. The KJ-500 is thought vital to China's expansion of its air and sea campaign, as it tackles increasingly-complex operations. Woody is part of the the Paracel Islands, which are roughly halfway between China and Vietnam and the object of an ownership dispute between the two nations. China built a city called Sansha on Woody Island in 2012, which Beijing uses to lord over the rest of the Paracels and the Spratly Islands. Advertisement Most read in The US Sun Exclusive Collin Koh, a Singaporean defence expert, said: "China's long-range bombers don't need to be on the Paracels so it does appear to be omni-directional signalling by Beijing - against the Philippines and against the US and other things that are going on." The clear act of aggression ominously plays into a prophecy made by US intelligence earlier this week about China's well-known ambitions to take Taiwan - which Beijing claims is rightfully theirs. When China is most likely to invade Taiwan… expert's chilling forecast A report warned that China could begin seizing Taiwan's smaller outlying islands as a precursor to a full-blown invasion. The vast majority of Taiwan's population lives on the main island, but Taipei also controls a smattering of smaller island chains. Advertisement These include the Kinmen and Matsu islands close to the Chinese mainland, the Pratas and Taiping in the South China Sea, and the Penghu archipelago nearer to Taiwan. Storming these islands is one of the options on the table for China's military generals - who continue to brandish threats of a full-scale invasion of Taiwan. The danger was aired in the latest Worldwide Threat Assessment report earlier this month by the US Defence Intelligence Agency. The swarm of warplanes is the latest in a series of operation designed to intimidate Taiwan. Advertisement 8 Soldiers of China's People's Liberation Army Navy patrol on Woody Island Credit: Reuters 8 An advanced Chinese H-6 bomber - two of which have been deployed to Woody Island Credit: EPA 8 Woody Island is part of the Paracels - which China and Vietnam both claim ownership of Credit: Reuters Last month, Xi Jinping army , navy and rocket forces exercises encircling Taiwan. Advertisement Some 19 warships and 50 aircraft loomed near the island in what Beijing called a "stern warning" and "powerful deterrent against Taiwanese independence". And in March, chilling pictures showed Beijing's giant The giant troop-carrying barges are capable of delivering fleets of tanks and thousands of troops directly onto Taiwanese roads. The DIA report did not predict an all-out invasion of Taiwan in 2025, but said China could scale-up attacks elsewhere. Advertisement The agency said: 'China possesses a variety of military options to coerce Taiwan, including increasing the frequency and scope of China's military presence operations, air and maritime blockades, seizure of Taiwan's smaller outlying islands, joint firepower strikes , and a full-scale amphibious invasion of Taiwan." 8 Xi Jinping has been ratcheting up aggression against Taiwan Credit: AFP 8 Taiwan runs regular military drills of its own to prepare for the threat of a Chinese invasion Credit: EPA It added: 'China appears willing to defer seizing Taiwan by force as long as it calculates unification ultimately can be negotiated, the costs of forcing unification continue to outweigh the benefits , and its stated redlines have not been crossed by Taiwan or its partners and allies.' Advertisement The US intelligence report also warned that Beijing will continue terrorising Taiwan with its 'campaign of diplomatic, information, military and economic pressure' to achieve its long-term goal of 'reunification'. Taipei has not cowered in the face of China's bullying , flexing its military muscles in return. Last month it Read more on the Irish Sun The operations were part of Taiwan's annual Han Kuang series of military exercises that put the island's defence capabilities to the test. Advertisement The computer drills used the US-built Joint Theater Level Simulation platform to simulate .
The Citizen
19 hours ago
- The Citizen
6 affordable travel options for the South African pocket
While travelling is often viewed as a luxury reserved for the wealthy people, especially as the rand continues to plummet on global markets, there are some countries suited to our pocket. The following list was put together by The South African: Namibia: With Africa home to some of the most beautiful countries in the world, Namibia is a haven where dunes meet the sea. Visa-free for South Africans, it is regarded as one of the most affordable countries for South Africans to visit. Its captivating scenery offers sand dunes that glow at sunset, and self-drive safaris. Thailand: Offering a 30-day free visa, it remains affordable, with bungalows on the beach costing in the region of R400 a night, and delicious street food for about R50. Travellers enjoy activities such as island hopping, buzzing markets, and breathtakingly beautiful golden temples. Vietnam: Moving with the times, Vietnam offers E-visa, which is easily accessible online. This holiday destination provides affordable hostels, cheap food and amazing adventures. Georgia: Also known as Europe's best-kept secret, this holiday destination delivers Alpine hikes, Soviet-era charm, and winemaking villages. With a 360-day visa-free policy, Georgia is tucked away between Europe and Asia, and hosts a variety of hidden gems. Indonesia: While Bali is always a crowd favourite, Indonesia boasts volcanic sunrises and is a sought-after spiritual retreat. With incredibly cheap meals reported to be the same price as a South African cappuccino, scooters serve as transportation, and a 30-day visa-on-arrival makes it a holidaymaker's paradise. Turkey: After applying for an easy E-visa online, Turkey is home to a rich culture and heritage. It is ancient yet modern, with endless mezze and hot air balloons in Cappadocia. Regions such as Fethiye and Antalya offer Mediterranean bliss for a fraction of the price. Source: 6 affordable countries South Africans should visit in 2025 Don't have the ZO app? Download it to your Android or Apple device here: HAVE YOUR SAY Like our Facebook page and follow us on Twitter. For news straight to your phone invite us: WhatsApp – 060 784 2695 Instagram – zululand_observer
