Ukraine has consulted with Australia on the status of some 40 decommissioned F-18 fighters stored at a base near Sydney, the Ukrainian ambassador in Canberra told AFP on Tuesday.
The United States in May gave the green light for further deliveries of US-made F-16 fighter jets to Kiev, which has been relentlessly demanding them to counter Russian power in the air and attack troop rear lines in Moscow. .
71 F-18s replaced by F-35s
The Royal Australian Air Force withdrew its 71 F-18s from service between 2019 and 2021 to replace them with more modern F-35s. Some of these planes have been sold in Canada, and 41 are stored at a military base north of Sydney and are the subject of an option to buy by a Texas-based company, RAVN Aerospace. According to a source close to the negotiation, between 12 and 16 planes are still in flight condition.
This is the first time that Ukraine, whose fighter aircraft is comprised of Soviet-era Mig and Sukhoi jets, has shown interest in Australian F-18s. Any delivery of these aircraft would have to be pre-cleared by RAVN Aerospace, Canberra and Washington.
So far, Australia has pledged around 500 million Australian dollars (314 million euros) in military aid to Ukraine, including Bushmaster and M113 armored vehicles, drones and 155mm howitzers. The government is expected to approve a new aid package before the July NATO summit in Lithuania. Ukraine’s air force currently has 82 combat aircraft, according to the International Institute for Strategic Studies (IISS).
Source: BFM TV
