The Russia-Ukraine war has been ongoing for quite some time now but instead of cooling down,

the situation is getting worse day by day. While Russia did inflict some considerable damage at
the start of the war, Ukraine is now more than ready to fight back. And for this, it has called in
reinforcement, mostly in the form of fighter planes. The war-torn country has received six F/A-18
carrier-based fighters and B-1B lancer bombers from NATO. Then, also a fleet of legendary B-
52 bombers armed with the latest dragon bomb as well as a highly classified U2
reconnaissance aircraft which is currently gathering information on enemy forces. But how far
can these planes go toward helping Ukraine?

Let’s explore separately the benefits each of these jets can offer

1. F/A -18

The United States Navy and Marine Corps deploy the F/A-18 Hornet as both a fighter and an
assault platform. In its fighter mode, the F/A-18 is utilised largely as a fighter escort and for the
defence of the fleet's airspace. In its attack mode, however, the F/A-18 is utilised for force
projection, interdiction, as well as close and deep air support.

During Operation Desert Storm, the F/A-18 demonstrated its capabilities and versatility by
shooting down enemy fighters and then bombing enemy targets with the same aircraft on the
same mission. It also broke all records for tactical aircraft in terms of availability, reliability, and
maintainability. Hornets are capable of surviving direct strikes from surface-to-air missiles; yet,
the fact that they are able to recover, be repaired rapidly, and continue flying the following day is
evidence of the aircraft's survivability.

By making selective use of the aircraft's exterior equipment, each and every F/A-18 can be
rapidly adapted to fulfil either the fighter or attack role, or both, depending on the requirements
of a given mission. This "force multiplier" feature provides the operational commander with
additional flexibility in terms of utilising tactical aircraft in a war scenario that is constantly
shifting. The primary responsibilities of the fighter missions are fighter escort and fleet air
defence. On the other hand, assault missions consist of force projection, interdiction, and close
and deep air support.

The Super Hornet first flew in 1995 and quickly outperformed its predecessors in many ways. Its
radar was the first in fighter aircraft history to be capable of seeing targets up to 93 miles away.
The F/A-18 was also the first aircraft to employ radar countermeasure systems against enemy
aircraft. Such technologies, for example, did not exist on the more popular F-16 fighting Falcon,
and there were no plans to add them.

However, the Naval Fleet Command wanted to get the most out of the F/A-18, so they set a
goal of increasing its flight range, stealth technologies, and survivability, expanding its range of
airborne and ground-based targets, and integrating modern weaponry, including cruise missiles.
That is why the Super Hornet, which was an updated version of the original plane, could do
everything. Conquest missions are simple thanks to their ability to carry up to 12 AIM-120 air-to-
air missiles capable of hitting targets at supersonic speeds. Sinking enemy ships with stealth
missiles is also a possibility, as the plane carries AGM-158 C missiles specifically designed for
this purpose. It can also drop up to ten precision bombs in a single pass if necessary.

And while the F/A-18 can even take on the role of an aerial tanker, it is also extremely durable,
with its design modified to withstand the stress of catapult launches, hard landings on aircraft
carriers, and saltwater exposure. The best part?

The Super Hornet costs only $53 million which is pretty economical as compared to an F-16
which may cost $57 million, and that's without any weapons.

2. B-1B Lancer

Next up, we have the B-1, the world's first combat aircraft to widely employ stealth technology.
The B-1B Lancer, which became a symbol of the later decades of the Cold War, was at first
conceived of as a strategic nuclear bomber with the task of flying at low altitudes in order to
evade early warning radars used by the Soviet Union. With the conclusion of the Cold War,
however, the jet was modified to be able to carry conventional ordnance and has since seen
extensive service in the roles of close air support and tactical bombing.

The multi-role B-1 bomber is the backbone of the United States Air Force's long-range bomber
force and carries the biggest payload of both guided and unguided weapons of any aircraft in
the arsenal. It is able to swiftly deploy vast amounts of both precision and non-precision
weaponry to any location on the planet.

At high altitudes, its maximum flight speed is 826 miles per hour, which is faster than the speed
of sound. However, in terms of flight range, with only 7,500 miles, it might lag behind some of its
competitors like the B-52, which we are going to get into in just a second. Nonetheless, the B-1
Lancer is a strategically important addition to the Ukrainian military aviation fleet due to its
stealth technology. The invisible bomber can launch lethal attacks while remaining safe and
may also be used to collect information. But, for reconnaissance, the aircraft we have next might
just be the better option overall.

3. B-52 Stratofortress

Along with the Super Hornet, the US also dispatched nearly its entire fleet of legendary B-52
bombers to Ukraine. The Stratofortress can carry 70,000 pounds of weapons and fly more than
8,700 miles on a single tank of fuel. To put that into perspective, a B-52 could make a round trip
from the US to Russia.

The aircraft has received the most upgrades of any aircraft and is regarded as the most
powerful bomber ever built. It's pretty clear that Boeing went above and beyond to create this
beast, and despite its ripe age, the B-52 can still dazzle enemies, especially now that it's
equipped with the latest dragon bomb, a deadly weapon which enables the plane to destroy
ground targets at a distance of more than 60 miles with pinpoint accuracy.

4. U2 spy plane

And among the planes on today’s list, number four is the ancestor of a new generation of
stealthy scouts. It was unlike any other aircraft at the time because it lacked armour and
weapons, prompting military experts to question whether such a deviant plane should even
exist. While producing the plane, the developer, the very well-known Lockheed Martin could
have even gone bankrupt but the CIA believed in the project and came to the rescue.

No wonder having a stealthy scout vehicle capable of monitoring anyone is a unique

opportunity. The U2 is designed to penetrate deep into enemy territory for one purpose,
collecting intelligence. It has a series of incredibly powerful sensors and cameras to help it do its
job.

The United Kingdom's Ministry of Defense (MoD) is also looking into the prospect of supplying
Royal Air Force (RAF) Eurofighter Typhoon Tranche 1 fighter jets to European MiG-29
operators. This would allow the aircraft, which dates back to the Soviet era, to be donated to the
Ukrainian government. The potential handover of the aircraft to MiG-29 operators was
acknowledged by UK armed forces minister James Heappey, despite the fact that the direct
supply was ruled out due to difficulties with logistics.

And although Bulgaria, Poland, and Slovakia are all currently in possession of MiG-29 aircraft,
none of them has been transferred to Ukraine as of yet. However, it appears that a political
solution to the problem has been found, as Slovak and Polish officials have agreed to a "joint
process" that will allow the two NATO countries to supply their respective MiG-29 fleets to
Ukraine. While this is a significant step towards resolving the issue, even when considering
MiG-29s, which would be more familiar to Ukrainian pilots, the operational impact of additional
supplies has drawn concern from defence analysts.

Can the jets help Ukraine win the war? Or does Russia have too much of an upper hand? Tell
us what you personally think in the comments below!

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