Americans and the Dutch are directly supporting Ukraine in the sky

The main goal of the western pilots is to help Ukrainian pilots master the jet’s technical advantages. The squadron takes a major role in the air defence of Kyiv Oblast, which takes heavy fire from Russian drones and missiles.

American pilots from the squadron „have carried out numerous combat missions in Afghanistan.” One of the western veterans performed missions in the Middle East before joining the unit. Dutch pilots are graduates of „leading European air combat schools known for their advanced training in interception and modern aerial warfare.”

Dutch and American pilots work under temporary contracts. Those cover six-month rotations that are renewable in line with operational requirements. As Intelligence Online notes, the most significant contribution of the western pilots within Ukraine’s air defence structure is their experience and skills in using the fighter jets’ high-precision sensors, particularly the Lockheed Martin Sniper targeting pod. According to several sources, the Ukrainian pilots already had some understanding of aircraft’s technological components, however, due to the lack of many years of training on this type of Western system, the understanding was only partial.

The squadron works daily; it intercepts Kalibr and Kh-101 missiles, Geran-5 drones and other assets, Intelligence Online adds. Such cases show another way in which the West tries to help Ukraine—in this case, quite directly—while still not clearly partaking in the war. Ukrainians allowed foreigners to help them in their war efforts, pretty much since the beginning of the war. The Ukrainian Air Force allowed foreigners to serve as pilots or as specialists in the engineering and aviation corps as early as 2023, provided they had appropriate military qualifications.