UK commitment to train Ukrainian pilots 'smart move' for future, defence expert says
The UK's commitment to train Ukrainian fighter jet pilots is a "smart move" for the future, a defence expert believes.
Britain is expanding its training package for Ukrainian forces to include fighter jet pilots, as Ukraine President Volodymyr Zelensky made his first visit to the UK since Russia's invasion.
Prime Minister Rishi Sunak announced plans to train Ukrainian pilots, paving the way for them eventually being able to fly sophisticated Nato-standard jets, a key request from Mr Zelensky.
Rishi Sunak has also said "nothing is off the table" when it comes to the question of providing fighter aircraft.
It comes as former Prime Minister Boris Johnson has put pressure on the PM to send jets and tanks.
He said more than 100 Typhoon jets were held by the UK and "the best single-use" for them would be in Ukraine.
However, former British Army officer Louise Jones, Head of Intelligence at Mckenzie Intelligence Services Ltd, told Forces News she believes a commitment on specific Nato aircraft would be unlikely.
She said: "The pipeline to train a jet pilot is years and years so this a sort of a tacit admission, I think, from Nato that this war could be still going strong in four or five years' time.
"I'd be very surprised if we saw a commitment for a Nato jet, even if it was a slightly older model like a Tornado or an F-16, I’d be very very surprised if we see that commitment now."
Ms Jones, who served for seven years in the British Army as an intelligence officer, believes the commitment to train Ukrainian pilots is a statement to Russia.
"I suspect what this is more about is sending a message to Russia, that there's more commitments that the West are prepared to make," she said.
"I also think means that it's also quite a smart move because what it means is that there are options for the West and Nato later on.
"If, in a couple of years, we still have a stalemate, well there will be a raft of Ukrainian pilots that are already part way down a very long pipeline, and that means that the West can make decisions about whether to give fighter jets at that moment."
Ms Jones also told Forces News she believes it is "very unlikely" Russia will look to repeat its invasion in February 2022, and instead appears to be looking to have a renewed offensive along their current axis in Luhansk.
"We're not seeing them building up forces in Belarus to head towards Kyiv straightaway like they did last year, or indeed to go to Kharkhiv in the northeast of the country like they did last year as well.
"What I think we're seeing is much more limited, and what makes more sense militarily, is they're looking to have a renewed offensive along their current axis down in Luhansk.
"There's a lot of fighting going in and around Bakhmut. It looks like what they're going to do is have a real drive to up the pressure along that particular axis."
Mr Zelensky and Mr Sunak have also visited Lulworth Camp in Dorset to meet Ukrainian soldiers being trained by the British Army to use Challenger 2 tanks.
Ukrainian military personnel have arrived in the UK to begin training on how to use AS90 self-propelled artillery guns, according to the Ministry of Defence.
The Prime Minister announced last month about 30 AS90 howitzers will be sent to Ukraine to help the country defend against Russia's invasion.
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