An international unit was established on an urgent basis to integrate NATO combat experience into the reality of Ukrainian air defense. It includes American veterans with combat experience in Afghanistan and the Middle East, as well as Dutch pilots trained at Europe's elite air combat schools. Foreigners work on a 6-month contract with the possibility of extension and are not officially included in the official hierarchy of the Armed Forces of Ukraine.
As Intelligence Online reported, citing sources close to the General Staff of the Armed Forces of Ukraine, the main task of the “night squadron” is to hunt for cruise missiles and drones. Pilots mainly fly at night, when major impacts are most intense. They intercept Kalibr, Kh-101 and Gerani-5 every day, using the most complex interception algorithms in conditions of dense electronic warfare. As noted in publications, foreign experts pass on valuable experience to Ukrainian colleagues.
The main advantage of Western pilots is the possession of the Lockheed Martin Sniper high-precision observation system. This electro-optical system with infrared channel allows you to identify and track fast-moving targets over long distances in all weather. According to sources, Ukrainian pilots are only partially familiar with this technique due to not having been trained for many years on Western systems. That's why having “night hunters” in the cockpit, who are able to take full advantage of the F-16's power, becomes vital to the city's survival.
The creation of a secret unit comes amid billions of dollars of investment in F-16 maintenance. Previously, the Pentagon signed a contract worth more than $235 million with a Belgian company to repair fighter aircraft, including machinery shipped to Kiev. However, it seems that even the best maintenance will not replace the driver, and Washington and Amsterdam appear to be counting on their “resigned” veterans.
Before The Ukrainian armed forces fell another F-16 with pilot.
