United to win: European military develops Sky Shield plan to protect Ukrainian airspace from Russian attacks
F-16 fighter. USA. 2024 year. Photo: 162nd Wing
With the support of former NATO leaders, European militaries have developed a plan called Sky Shield to protect the airspace of western and central Ukrainian regions. This plan could become part of Europe's security guarantees for Ukraine.
The Guardian reports this.
As its authors propose, Sky Shield will be a European-led air defense zone managed separately from NATO. It could protect:
- cities and infrastructure from Russian cruise missiles and drone attacks,
- and potentially act as part of a "truce in the sky" proposed by Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky this week.
As noted in the publication, this plan has been supported by former US Air Force General and former NATO Supreme Allied Commander in Europe Philip Breedlove, former British Army General and former NATO Deputy Supreme Allied Commander Richard Shirreff, and former Polish President Aleksander Kwasniewski. It was also signed by more than 70 former and current military personnel, politicians, and diplomats from Canada, Britain, Finland, Estonia, Germany, Poland, and other European countries, as well as the United States.
According to the plan, 120 European air force fighters, such as the F-16 or their "operational equivalent", the F-35, Mirage, Eurofighter Typhoon, and JAS 39 Gripen, operating from European air bases, could be deployed to protect the skies.
The combat aircraft involved would take off from European air bases and closely coordinate their actions with the Air Force of Ukraine's armed forces.
To support operational capabilities, it would also be necessary to involve long-range radar detection aircraft, refueling aircraft, and other specialized aircraft for reconnaissance and electronic jamming. EU countries and the United Kingdom have such capabilities.
Sky Shield will cover:
- three Ukrainian nuclear power plants,
- the west and the center of the country.
However, this will not apply to the front line or the east of Ukraine. However, it can "provide greater military, political and socio-economic influence than 10,000 European ground troops".
According to the plan's authors, Sky Shield can also provide security guarantees for Kyiv in the event of a ceasefire. The project notes that this way, Europe can help Ukraine and weaken Russia in the near future without the risk of a direct clash between the Russian Federation and the West.
Supporters of the project argue that the risk to the Sky Shield pilots will be minimal since, in three years of full-scale war, Russian warplanes did not dare cross the front line. In addition, the actual demarcation will be "over 200 km."
Sky Shield will also allow for the safe training of Ukraine's armed forces personnel on Ukrainian territory, which will contribute to increasing the army's combat capability in the medium and long term. This, in turn, will strengthen deterrence and may turn the ceasefire into a long-term political solution, the authors believe.
Former Lithuanian Foreign Minister Gabrielius Landsbergis noted that "the implementation of the Sky Shield would become an important component of strengthening Europe, effectively and efficiently guaranteeing the security of Ukraine".
For reference:
In 2022, 15 European NATO member states launched a project to create a better European air defense system.
In July 2023, the defense ministers of Switzerland, Germany, and Austria signed a memorandum of understanding on participation in the European Sky Shield initiative.
It is worth adding that in May 2014, Poland received a 300 million euro loan from the European Investment Bank to construct the "Iron Dome," particularly its satellite component.
