Ukraine's “air shield” mission: How many fighter jets are needed and can Europe deliver?

Defense Express reported the information.

If Western countries decide to organize an "air shield" mission or another format for Ukraine's sky defense, they will need 24 to 160 fighter jets, excluding support aircraft like air tankers and AWACS planes.

The organization of such a mission could be crucial for Ukraine's security, especially in a potential peace process. However, questions remain about how to implement it, as noted by the CSIS think tank in Washington.

The authors of the center note that European countries would need direct assistance from the U.S. to organize such a mission, but they also point out that the U.S. may simply withhold the necessary support.

The methodology for calculating the required aircraft for Ukraine's "air shield" is based on NATO's "air policing" mission over the Baltic states, which involves up to four squadrons (24 aircraft). This number is sufficient to cover an 84-kilometer zone over the Suwałki Gap and a 1,000-kilometer border area between the Baltic states, Belarus, and Russia.

However, there are nuances regarding the actual combat readiness required for the forces involved in a potential "air policing" mission. For example, to have 24 fighter jets in the air simultaneously over Ukraine, Western countries would need to deploy 48 aircraft, as the fleet readiness rate for such missions is 50%.

Given Ukraine's larger territory and greater air threats from Russia compared to the Baltic region, the number of fighter jets required for the "air shield" mission increases to 160. This would complement Ukraine's existing air defense, which would still bear the main responsibility for repelling Russian forces.

The outlet also noted that "organizing such a mission will significantly affect the lifespan of fighter jets from several European countries," raising further concerns about how to organize the hypothetical "air shield" mission over Ukraine, especially without U.S. involvement.