영국, 우크라이나 전투기 조종사 훈련 지원 약속

[위종민]

2월 8일 볼로디미르 젤렌스키 우크라이나 대통령의 영국 방문에 앞서 발표된 성명에 따르면, 리시 수낙 영국 수상이 우크라이나 전투기 조종사 훈련 지원을 약속했다고 합니다. 이 외 헬기조종사 훈련 지원도 이뤄질 수 있다고 합니다. 

이외에 우크라이나군 해병대 훈련 및 특정명이 공개되지 않은 장거리 무기도 공급도 제안했다고 합니다. 

영국에서 훈련받을 수 있는 기체는 호크와 타이푼인데 F-16이나 그리펜이 추후 지원되면 기존 기체들과 아울러 기종파편화 현상이 생기지 않을까 합니다만.. 

https://www.defensenews.com/training-sim/2023/02/08/britain-to-train-ukraine-combat-fighter-pilots/

Britain to train Ukraine combat fighter pilots

By Andrew Chuter Wednesday, Feb 8

3-4 minutes

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A British Royal Air Force pilot takes off in a Typhoon fighter jet on Dec, 9, 2022. Ukrainian pilots may soon train on the systems. (Joe Giddens/AFP via Getty Images)

LONDON — British Prime Minister Rishi Sunak has committed to training Ukrainian combat jet pilots, according to a statement made ahead of a Feb. 8 visit to London by Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy.

Sunak also offered to bolster other initiatives, including training Ukrainian marines and supplying unspecified longer-range weapons. The deal could also be expanded to include military helicopter pilots, according to recent testimony given to lawmakers.

Zelenskyy and senior officials are meeting in London for a round of engagements with their British counterparts. The Ukrainian president will address Parliament and meet King Charles III; this will be Zelenskyy’s second foreign trip since Russia invaded his country on Feb. 24, 2022.

The leaders will discuss a two-pronged approach to U.K. support for Ukraine, starting with an immediate surge of military equipment to the country to help counter what observers expect to be a fresh Russian offensive in the spring, according to the statement, which also mentioned the reinforcement of long-term support.

Britain and some of its allies have so far declined Ukraine’s requests for modern fighter aircraft, but the statement said the upcoming training “will ensure pilots are able to fly sophisticated NATO-standard fighter jets in the future.”

No details of the pilot training are available, but it’s likely the move would see Ukrainians fly Royal Air Force Hawk jet trainers and Typhoon multirole combat jets, even though Britain would have little in the way of spare training capacity and spare combat jets should they be required for a conflict or crisis.

The Royal Air Force is already training Ukrainian Air Force personnel in niche areas, and the latest pilot training offer could get extended to include helicopter crew.

Speaking to the parliamentary Defence Committee last week, Air Marshal Richard Knighton, the deputy chief of capability at Air Command, said an offer of training to Ukraine was under discussion.

“We have an offer on the table to train helicopter pilots at our school in Shawbury. We have not signed the final deal yet, but we are content to do that,” Knighton said Feb 1.

The pilot offer is part of a wider British initiative to upskill Ukraine’s military. Britain and some of its allies have already trained about 10,000 Ukrainian troops in the U.K. in the last few months, with plans for a further 20,000 soldiers to learn battlefield skills this year, the British government has said.

Ukrainian troops already started arriving in the U.K. to learn how to operate the 14 Challenger 2 main battle tanks pledged to the country, and Sunak plans to offer longer-range capabilities, the statement said.

“I am proud that today we will expand that training from soldiers to marines and fighter jet pilots, ensuring Ukraine has a military able to defend its interests well into the future. It underlines our commitment to not just provide military equipment for the short term, but a long-term pledge to stand shoulder-to-shoulder with Ukraine for years to come,” Sunak said.

Andrew Chuter is the United Kingdom correspondent for Defense News.

[Minowski(김유철)]

지금 경제상황으로 볼때 제일 먼저 나가떨어질것 같아보이는 나라가 영국인데, 전후 발언권을 노리는건지 아니면 전통적인 대러 견제의 연장인지 너무 무리를 하는것 같아보입니다. 미국이 나서기전에 바람잡이하기로 역할분담한건지...

[위종민]

서유럽이 다 마찬가지지만, 영국도 전쟁 준비가 안 돼 있는 나라라 자국에서 조금이라도 먼 곳에서 러시아를 막는 게 결과적으로 돈과 생명을 아끼는 길이라고 생각하는 게 아닌가 싶습니다. 러시아에서 가스를 받아다 쓰던 나라도 아니었으니 정치인들 이해관계도 독일보다 덜 엮여있을 듯 하고.