Australia had offered Ukraine 41 bombers to boost its air power amid Russia’s war. However, a senior Ukrainian air force official had rejected the donation. The official called them “Flying Trash”, as per the Australian financial review (AFR). The idea of handing retired F/A-18 Hornet jets was first floated last march.
Two months later at the G7 Summit, U.S president Joe Biden gave the green light to his western aliens to send American-made fourth-generation jets to Ukraine. Kyiv was then encouraged to make a formal request for the Australian planes. However, an unnamed Ukrainian air force official dismissed them as trash that Canberra was eager to offload, AFR said quoting a defense contractor. The defense contractor said that the official’s comment “killed the F/A-18 deal”. “Had he not done it they would have been flying over Ukraine now.
F/A-18 Hornet Description
- F/A-18 fighter-bombers are fourth-generation combat aircraft.
- They are two-engine jets manufactured by a different company.
- Jets have-red self-protection systems.
- Capable of carrying joint direct attack munition (JDAM) and laser JDAM.
- Jets have a M61A2 20mm nose-mounted gun system.
- Loaded with radar and infrared sensing and targeting system.
Talks once again touched on the F/A-18 hornets in December, following Ukraine’s counteroffensive. However, Australian defense department spokesperson told AFR that the jets were already in the final stages of being scrapped by then. Similarly, Ukraine passed up the chance to obtain Australian MRH-90 Taipan helicopters. They were already being disassembled by the time Ukraine for them.
