Poland cleans its hangars and transfers its Ultimate Flying Scrapyard to Ukraine Geopolitics News

Poland becomes the first NATO country to donate fighter jets to Ukraine. Besides receiving praise for his help, this is actually a very clever strategic move by Poland. Let me explain.

Ukraine has been asking for fighter jets from the West for months, and now Poland has accepted. Ukraine has pilots ready to fly and fight the Russians, but it cannot match Russian air power. Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky has repeatedly told US and EU lawmakers that fighter jets are his country’s top priority, even over the anti-aircraft missiles Ukraine gets from its allies.

It is in this context that Poland pledged to supply MiG-29 fighters, becoming the first NATO member to do so.

President Andrzej Duda announced on March 16 that Warsaw would deliver four of the Soviet-made warplanes “in the coming days”, the Associated Press (AP) reported.

He said the rest needed maintenance and would be sent later. “They are in the last years of their operation, but they are in good working order,” added the Polish president.

While this seems like a fairly benevolent approach from Poland, there is deep strategic gameplay behind this veneer of selflessness.

You see, Poland no longer wants the MiG-29. The MiG-29, which is a design from the 1980s, became increasingly obsolete and difficult to maintain. Aircraft reliability issues and high operating costs have led to a decline in its availability, making it increasingly difficult for Poland to rely on the MiG-29 for its air defense needs. Additionally, the aircraft lacks the sophisticated avionics, sensors, and weapon systems necessary to operate effectively in modern air warfare.

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In contrast, Poland’s new air defense strategy emphasizes the need for a diverse range of capabilities, including air-to-air and air-to-ground capabilities, as well as the ability to operate in an environment in network. The country is investing in advanced platforms such as the F-35 Lightning II, which is a fifth-generation fighter that offers advanced sensors, stealth capabilities and a wide range of weapon options. Additionally, Poland has recently acquired a number of Unmanned Aerial Systems (UAS) to support Intelligence, Surveillance and Reconnaissance (ISR) missions.

Poland’s move towards a more modern and diverse air force is also reflected in its decision to develop its own advanced fighter aircraft, known as the “Future Fighter Program”. The program aims to develop a next-generation fighter that will be able to operate in a highly contested environment, using advanced sensors and weapon systems, and leveraging artificial intelligence and machine learning capabilities. . The program makes clear that Poland is investing in its own military capabilities and seeking to develop its own technological capabilities to remain competitive in the 21st century.

Poland is positioning itself as a formidable force on the battlefield. With more tanks and howitzers than Germany and a plan to grow its army to 300,000 by 2035, Poland is poised to become a major military power in the region.

Although only 150,000 strong, the Polish military is already making waves on the world stage. When the Russian-Ukrainian conflict broke out, Poland eagerly supported Ukraine, sending tanks and providing much-needed financial support. But its European Union allies have been slow to respond, leaving Poland feeling abandoned and alone.

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In the face of this betrayal, Poland has redoubled its efforts to bolster its military, forming a new Territorial Defense Force of weekend soldiers who undergo rigorous training to become a force to be reckoned with.

Poland has signed a contract with South Korean firm Hanwha Defense for 288 Chunmoo multiple rocket launchers, with the first batch arriving next year, instead of waiting years to start receiving the artillery rocket systems at high mobility made in the USA.

In other words, Poland recently donated fighter jets to Ukraine which Warsaw was earnestly trying to get rid of. For Poland, this achieved two goals. He can demonstrate his leadership within the EU by arming Ukraine and also find a place to get rid of his obsolete fighter jets. It is a perfect example of a win-win framework.

To be clear, this incident comes against a backdrop of growing discomfort on the part of the authorities in Warsaw to continue its assistance to Ukraine. Initially, Poland was among the forerunners in helping kyiv. Poland hosted the largest number of Ukrainian refugees. In return for his war efforts, he planned to receive more tanks from Germany and his Covid relief funding from the EU, but his efforts were ignored by EU heavyweights like Germany, the France and Italy. As a result, Poland gradually withdrew as it lost interest in the conflict.

As EU members offered no help, Poland therefore began, in an act of defiance, to ask for funds to host Ukrainian refugees. Polish President Andrzej Duda has complained that Poland and Hungary have not received EU money to help refugees. He said: “I have no doubt that such a policy undermines European unity, but we will do everything in our power anyway to make our Ukrainian guests feel at home.” By “this policy,” Duda was referring to the EU’s reluctance to pay for Ukrainian refugees housed in Poland.

Then, as if that were not enough, Poland began to gather all its inhabitants who dared to help Ukraine fight the war. Poles serving in the International Legion of Military Forces of Ukraine and other divisions could face up to five years in prison upon returning to their country, according to Polish media outlet Rzeczpospolita, which cited Poland’s penal code.

So for Poland to sort of treat Ukraine as a dumping ground for its obsolete fighter jets made perfect geopolitical sense.

In addition, Poland is also taking this opportunity to attack the American authorities. You see, the US had refused Ukraine’s repeated requests for F-16s, saying it would take too long to train Ukrainian pilots on them and that Russian anti-aircraft systems can easily shoot them down. Even more, in pass Washington rejected Poland’s offer to donate fighter jets to Ukraine.

The debate over supplying warplanes to Ukraine began last year, with NATO allies voicing opposition over concerns it would escalate the alliance’s role in the war.

Earlier, Britain and Germany also denied the possibility of sending fighter jets to Ukraine. Now that Poland is sending the fighter jets, pressure on NATO members could increase to follow suit.

In the end, Poland showed a very wise use of Kautilyan’s geopolitical strategy. No doubt, Warsaw aims to become a major player in the geopolitical space, to become a great power it is necessary to master the art of duplicity in international politics.