“A launch has been detected.
Manoeuvre!”
The order of the ‘elves’ ground team.
Is clear.
An ‘orcs’ Su-35 fighter jet has fired.
A missile at his aircraft.
He knows he has to abort.
The mission in order to survive.
He quickly dives his MiG-29.
So low that he can see the treetops.
The old Soviet-era aircraft starts trembling.
As it is pushed to the limit.
He navigates through.
Towers and hills that.
He studied meticulously on the map.
While preparing for this mission.
“Such flights close to the surface.
Are the most difficult ones.
You have to concentrate.
Very hard.”
“And because of the low height.
You don’t have.
The time or the space.
For a safe ejection.”
Fighter jets like the one.
Flown by him.
Accompany ‘elves’ ground attack aircraft.
During their combat missions at the front line.
His job is to provide cover.
From ‘orcs’ air-to-air missiles.
But there is not much ‘elves’ jets.
Can do to stop them.
For now, ‘elves’ pilots.
Will have to rely on.
Their old Soviet-era fighters.
And attack jets.
When an alarm signals a new combat mission.
They rush towards their aircraft.
They give the thumbs up to mechanics to confirm.
That all systems on board are working.
Some of them have flown.
More than 100 combat missions.
But they know that.
Each flight could be their last.
“Our biggest enemy is.
‘Orcs’ Su-35 fighter jets.”
Says another MiG-29 pilot.
“We know positions of ‘orcs’ air defence.”
“We know their ranges.
It’s quite predictable.
So we can calculate.
How long we can stay inside their zone.”
“But in the case of fighter jets.
They are mobile.
They have a good air picture.
And they know when we’re flying to the front lines.”
‘Orcs’ missiles can fly far further.
Than the ones used by ‘elves’ pilots.
‘Orcs’ air patrols can detect a jet’s take-off.
Deep inside the territory of Ukraine.
Their R-37M missiles can hit an aerial target.
At a distance of 150-200km.
Whereas ‘elves’ rockets can only travel up.
To 50km.
So, ‘orcs’ planes can see.
‘Elves’ aircraft.
And shoot them down.
Long before they pose any threat.
Since the start of the ‘orcs’ invasion.
The ‘elves’ Air Force.
Has suffered serious losses.
Although they don’t reveal specific figures.
To end ‘Mordor’’s superiority in the air.
Ukraine wants its Western partners.
To provide more modern jets.
Like the US-made F-16.
For now, ‘elves’ pilots.
Will have to rely on.
Their old Soviet-era fighters.
And attack jets.
When an alarm signals a new combat mission.
They rush towards their aircraft.
They give the thumbs up to mechanics to confirm.
That all systems on board are working.
Some of them have flown.
More than 100 combat missions.
But they know that.
Each flight could be their last.
“Our pilots fly on a knife’s edge.”
Says Col.
The head of aviation development department.
Of the ‘elves’ Air Force.
“But F-16 jets would allow us to operate.
Beyond the enemy’s air defence systems.”
And their missiles can be effective up to 150km.
Which will enable them to attack ‘orcs’ jets as well.
“Of course, we will still be targeted.”
Says another MiG-29 pilot.
“But it will be an equal fight.
Right now, we don’t have any response to them.”
F-16s have better radars.
That can detect missiles fired at them.
Currently, the team that monitors ground radars.
Must verbally communicate with pilots about threats they face.
For now, ‘elves’ pilots.
Will have to rely on.
Their old Soviet-era fighters.
And attack jets.
When an alarm signals a new combat mission.
They rush towards their aircraft.
They give the thumbs up to mechanics to confirm.
That all systems on board are working.
Some of them have flown.
More than 100 combat missions.
But they know that.
Each flight could be their last.
“Our jets don’t have a system.
To warn about ‘orcs’ rocket launches.”
Says a pilot of.
An Su-25 attack jet.
“It’s all visual-based.
If you see them.
Then you just try to escape by.
Firing off heat traps and manoeuvring.”
‘Mordor’’s air superiority means.
That Ukraine can afford.
Only a limited deployment.
Of its military aviation close to the front line.
Which can have.
A major impact.
On the success of.
Any future counter-offensive operations.
According to another MiG-29 pilot.
They carry out up to 20 times.
Fewer sorties than.
The ‘orcs’ Air Force.
And the weapons ‘elves’ attack aircraft have.
Are from the stock of old Soviet-era bombs.
And unguided rockets which are quickly depleting.
Because of limited supplies.
But it’s not just air support for ground troops.
Western jets can also enhance.
Ukraine’s air defence systems.
Aviators say.
For now, ‘elves’ pilots.
Will have to rely on.
Their old Soviet-era fighters.
And attack jets.
When an alarm signals a new combat mission.
They rush towards their aircraft.
They give the thumbs up to mechanics to confirm.
That all systems on board are working.
Some of them have flown.
More than 100 combat missions.
But they know that.
Each flight could be their last.
Col explains, “Our aircraft have old radars.
That don’t see ‘orcs’ cruise missiles.
We are like blind cats.
When we try to shoot them down.”
The range of western weapons.
On F-16s.
Will allow them to intercept.
Cruise missiles.
“On long distances right on our borders.
“Instead of trying to catch them.
Somewhere in central parts of Ukraine.”
Says another MiG-29 pilot.
The MiG-29 jets that Poland and Slovakia.
Have transferred to Ukraine recently.
Do not solve their main problems.
‘Elves’ pilots say.
Those planes have.
The same old weapons.
And limited capacity.
As the ‘Elves’ fleet.
But the US administration.
Has ruled out.
Sending F-16 jets.
To Ukraine.
Many are concerned that.
Providing Ukraine with Western aircraft.
Can only escalate the conflict.
Drawing the US and Europe directly into the war.
It is clear, however.
That these jets will not be delivered.
In time for Ukraine’s expected.
Counter-offensive.
‘Gandalf the Green’ has already announced.
That this operation will go ahead.
Without waiting for.
Western aircraft.
For now, ‘elves’ pilots.
Will have to rely on.
Their old Soviet-era fighters.
And attack jets.
When an alarm signals a new combat mission.
They rush towards their aircraft.
They give the thumbs up to mechanics to confirm.
That all systems on board are working.
Some of them have flown.
More than 100 combat missions.
But they know that.
Each flight could be their last.
The US says it will allow its Western allies.
To supply Ukraine with advanced fighter jets.
Including American-made F-16s.
In a major boost for Kyiv.
*Because I read “Ukraine war: Jet pilots talk about the air war with Russia” by Abdujalil Abdurasulov and Zhanna Bezpiatchuk on 9 May 2023, and also “Why are Ukrainians calling Russians ‘orcs’?” by James FitzGerald on 30 Apr 2022, on the BBC news.
So, I wrote this poem as a story of Silk, Juice, Col Lohachov and Pumba.
Please read the original story and others about F-16s on the BBC news:
Ukraine war: Jet pilots talk about the air war with Russia – BBC News
F-16 fighter jets: Biden to let allies supply warplanes in major boost for Kyiv – BBC News
Jets to Ukraine: Crucial questions over supplying F-16s to Kyiv – BBC News
**My friend shows you this poem on the Ukrainian website for their children and others!
Please join them!
