Zelensky: Ukraine has received two Iris-T air defense systems from Germany
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky said in his speech on Thursday that his country had received two Iris-T air defense systems from Germany.
Zelinsky described the system as “strong”, explaining that his country desperately needs it, and thanked Germany for providing his country with weapons, according to Reuters.
And German Chancellor Olaf Schultz announced in June 2022 that his country would supply Ukraine with (Iris-T) missiles, which Germany developed with other countries in the North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO).
And prepare system “Iris-T is the latest and most expensive anti-aircraft defense system, cruise missiles and short-range ballistic missiles, which operate in infrared, and missiles can be launched from aircraft or from mobile anti-aircraft ground systems. Since the mid-2000s, it has been considered among the latest short-range missiles. In the world.
The Iris-T system is capable of shooting down combat aircraft and guided missiles from the ground, at a height of up to 25 km in an area of 40 km in diameter. Missiles can be launched from various fighters, including the Tornado and F-16.
F-16 aircraft
Meanwhile, a US official said, Thursday, that the United States has agreed to send F-16 fighter jets from Denmark and the Netherlands to Ukraine, once the training of the pilots is completed.
Ukraine aggressively sought these American-made fighters to help it counter Russian air superiority.
The official said Washington had given Denmark and the Netherlands formal assurances that the United States would expedite approval of requests to transfer F-16s to Ukraine when the pilots received training.
Denmark and the Netherlands have recently requested such assurances. U.S. approval is required to transfer any military aircraft from its allies to Ukraine.
An 11-nation coalition was due to start training Ukrainian pilots to operate the F-16s this month in Denmark. Denmark’s acting defense minister, Troels Poulsen, said in July that his country hoped to see the “results” of the training in early 2024.
NATO members Denmark and the Netherlands are leading international efforts to train Ukrainian pilots as well as support crews, maintain aircraft and eventually enable Ukraine to acquire F-16 fighter jets for use in the war with Russia.
The US official said that Secretary of State Anthony Blinken sent two letters to his Danish and Dutch counterparts, assuring them that the United States would approve the requests.
“I am writing to express the United States’ full support for the transfer of F-16 fighter jets to Ukraine and the training of Ukrainian pilots to become qualified instructors on the aircraft,” Blinken said in his letter.
“It remains vital that Ukraine be able to defend itself against Russia’s continued aggression and violation of its sovereignty,” Blinken added.
He said approving the applications would allow Ukraine “to fully utilize its new capabilities once the training of the first group of pilots is completed”.
US President Joe Biden in May approved a program to train Ukrainian pilots on F-16 fighters. A training center will be opened in Romania in addition to their training in Denmark.
(The New Arab, Reuters)
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2023-08-17 23:09:29
