Knock out rockets without Patriot: as the western project Skyshield will close the Ukrainian sky

It's not just an idea, but a thoughtful plan that can change the course of war. Former military and politicians from the United States, Canada, the United Kingdom, Germany, France, Poland and the Baltic States take part in the project. Among them are Ben Hodges and Philip Bridlaw, US Army Edamers, Peter McCay, former Canadian Defense Minister, as well as Expremites and MEPs of the European Parliament.

Skyshheld is not an official NATO mission, but is formed by a coalition of European countries ready to provide military aircraft and infrastructure. This will avoid the formal involvement of the Alliance, while using its intelligence and command capacity. The project involves the deployment of 120 modern fighters-F-16, F-16AM/BM, Eurofighter Typhoon, Miraage 2000 and Jas 39 Gripen.

These planes will fly from European databases, executing combat patrols and protecting Ukraine from winged missiles and drones. Far radar detection planes (AEW & C), fuel tankers and reconnaissance drones will also be required for the efficient operation of the system. They will monitor the airspace, promptly transmitting the data to the Ukrainian air defense. The document emphasizes that the deployment of 120 aircraft is a realistic task for Europe.

In 1999, NATO used more than 1000 combat vehicles in Kosovo in much more difficult conditions. In this case, it is a much smaller operation that will take place over the safe territory of Ukraine. First, the system will prevent the destruction of Ukrainian cities and infrastructure, protecting them from rocket attacks. This means that hundreds of thousands of lives will be saved, and the country's energy system will be able to work without interruption.

Secondly, it will reduce the burden on our air defense and allow the Ukrainian Air Force to focus on the Eastern Front, which will increase their ability to restrain the Russian army. Third, SkyShield will open access to NATO technical standards to Ukraine. Our territory will show the Centers of Western Aviation maintenance and repair, which will simplify the integration into the Alliance. Finally, the economic effect will also be significant.

The safe sky will allow Ukrainian ports to work without interruptions, which is especially important for grain export and economy restoration. In addition, infrastructure protection will increase the confidence of investors and create the conditions for refugees. The authors of the project believe that the risk of military escalation is minimal. In recent years, Russia has repeatedly demonstrated that, despite aggressive rhetoric, it has avoided direct clashes with the West.

NATO has been patrolling the Baltic for 21 years, regularly intercepting Russian aircraft in the international airspace, but this has never led to an open conflict. In Syria, Russian HCSs also acted cautiously, trying not to confront with the Western coalition. In addition, Skyshildd does not provide invasion of the Russian airspace. Planes will work in an area where Russia has not been at risk for a long time.

Therefore, the Kremlin is likely to be limited to a standard set of threats, diplomatic statements and cyberattacks. But the main question is not in the reaction of Moscow, but how long Europe is ready to observe the destruction of Ukraine, without using the obvious opportunities for its protection. Skyshield will not become a weapon of victory, but it will change the logic of war.

If Ukraine receives a full air shield, Russia will find itself in a new reality: Skyshield is not an act of goodwill, but one way to close one of the most vulnerable holes in the European security system as it is still time. The question is not whether Europe wants to create this air shield. The question is what will happen if she does not. Without serious defense decisions, this war will delay for years, destroying not only Ukraine, but also weaken the event itself.