What is closed skies - how NATO can protect us from bombing and why it does not

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bagnet.org

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Photo: Air defense system "Iron Dome" / from open sources

The main threat now is the bombing of Ukrainian cities and other critical facilities. Ukraine cannot completely protect itself from these bombings with the available means. NATO could help. The Ukrainian authorities are constantly asking to close the sky over Ukraine. In response, there was silence at the official level. Even if an alliance cannot close the sky, it can still do something.

The issue of threat from the air remains unresolved.

The bad news is that Russia has not yet begun to really exploit its arsenal of dangerous "air" toys. And this arsenal can cause colossal damage to our country and take a large number of lives.

Here is what is in the arsenal of the Moscow Fuhrer:

• cluster munitions are bombs filled with mini-munitions, usually mines, flying in different directions from the initial detonation; marks on the walls of destroyed houses in Borodyanka and Kharkiv may indicate the use of cluster munitions (although this is inaccurate);
• volumetric explosion ammunition (BOV) - detonation is preceded by the instantaneous spraying of a large amount of combustible substance, which increases the strength of the shock wave many times over, such ammunition may have already been used in the suburbs of Kharkov;
• thermobaric ammunition ("vacuum bomb") - in fact, an improved BOV, a different detonation principle is used, due to which the ammunition is much more compact. As a consequence, large thermobaric munitions have a destructive power comparable to nuclear weapons. But they do not leave behind radioactive contamination. Such shells have not yet been used in Ukraine. However, according to the BBC , Russia is already bringing them to the Ukrainian borders.

Also, the aggressor can supplement the current (conventional) bombing with carpet bombing . This is a variant of the bombing of cities, in which there is a total destruction of buildings and infrastructure.

This is how Dresden was bombed in 1945. Russia carried out carpet bombing in Chechnya.

For the barbaric destruction of Ukrainian cities, supersonic aircraft in service with the Russian Federation , for example, Tu-22-M, can be used. This bomber can carry up to 45 tons of bombs.

This kind of ammunition can be delivered by Russian cruise or ballistic missiles. For example, Iskanders. Russia has already shelled Ukrainian territory with them.

Judging by the telephone conversation between Putin and Macron, which took place on March 3, the Russian Fuhrer does not intend to back down. It will consistently increase the number of bombings and at the same time put forward new demands in negotiations with the Ukrainian side, the second round of which also took place on March 3 (the parties did not agree on anything other than humanitarian corridors). It was this tactic that Putin voiced to the President of France .

Zelensky aware of the air threat?

Certainly! The best protection that can be in such a situation is to close the sky for any flights over Ukraine. Be it a rocket or a plane. But NATO refuses us this kind of protection .

At a press conference for foreign journalists on March 2, Volodymyr Zelensky spoke very emotionally about this :

"If you can't close the sky now, then give a date when. If you can't do it now, tell me how many people should explode, how many arms, legs, heads should fly off to reach you? Tell me how many, I'll go count and We'll be waiting for that moment."

To understand why NATO cannot close the sky for Ukraine, one needs to understand the very essence of what a "closed sky" is.

What is "closed sky"?

Closed Skies is NATO's air defense system. NATO itself does not use the term "closed skies".

NATO air defense does not have a single name at all. NATO air defense is several different defense systems against enemy aircraft and missiles, interconnected. The most famous part of the " closed sky " - Active Layered Theater Ballistic Missile Defense . This is NATO's continental missile defense shield.

The system is fantastic. It consists of Lockheed Martin F-35 fighter-bombers, which are constantly on duty at high altitude. Such aircraft are equipped with highly sensitive radars. Several F-35s can monitor an entire hemisphere, marking missile launch sites and determining possible trajectories for their flight.

The F-35 fighter-bomber is an element of the European missile defense system, which we call "closed skies"

Data from the F-35 is sent to ground-based radars and control centers that launch and guide interceptor missiles.

The price of this system, which is still being rolled out in Europe, is several trillion dollars (it is not known exactly how much). The price of one F-35 is more than a billion.

But the game is worth the candle. In fact, this missile defense system can destroy any number of enemy targets, even fired at the same time.

Why NATO does not use a shield for Ukraine

The shield is 90% deployed over NATO countries , and is already working. The paradox is that it is this very cool component of the "closed sky" that is the cause of our problems.

US President Barack Obama announced the launch of the project in 2009. And of course Putin immediately stated that he was against it. Which is quite logical: the NATO missile defense system made Europe inaccessible to its missiles.

At the same time, the Russian air defense systems S-200, S-300 cannot do anything with the F-35. And according to Western experts, for another 20 years there is nothing to oppose to these aircraft in Russia. But these planes can both defend and attack.

According to Russia, by creating its missile defense system, NATO has violated the Treaty on Conventional Armed Forces in Europe ( CFE ). In a word, the situation in this direction already heated up in the 2000s.

And now NATO is afraid that the use of this missile defense system to protect Ukraine will lead to a direct military conflict with Russia. Putin will try to destroy the NATO missile defense bases in Poland, Romania and the Czech Republic. NATO will strike back. The Third World War will begin, the end of which can be only one - the end of civilization, the death of mankind.

Dead end? Or Ukraine can do something?

It is not known whether Putin will actually attack the NATO missile defense system if the sky over Ukraine is still closed. He repeatedly spoke about his intention to strike at Europe if she "fits in" for us openly. But whether it will actually hit is the question. It's just that no one has ever put him in such conditions.

In the past, in all cases (Georgia, Donbass, Syria), NATO preferred not to mess with him. Well, and if all the same decides to show force?

This means that Zelensky is doing the right thing by continuing to insist on a "closed sky." Forces are already appearing in Europe ready to support our president. So far, they are in the minority.

For us, the "closed sky" is salvation. And this can radically change the course of the war.

Are there other solutions? Maybe "iron dome"?

The Iron Dome (Kipat barzel) - Israel's air defense system - does not suit us. This system performed well. But it is designed for short and medium-range unguided missiles. The dome will probably not protect against Russian Iskanders.

To build your own Iron Dome, you need not only technology and anti-aircraft systems. The system still needs to be deployed, train specialists, conduct tests, exercises. We don't have time.

But what the West could actually help with is to transfer its tactical air defense systems to Ukraine . Like Patriot or THAAD. These systems, although not 100%, could significantly improve the situation. Many of these systems are mobile and versatile - suitable for destroying missiles and aircraft.

There is good news here! According to some reports, Ukraine is now awaiting the receipt of (perhaps not mentioned above, but similar) air defense systems. Timing, types of systems, of course, a secret.

There is another secret: even NATO itself does not know exactly how effective their tactical air defense is against Putin's precision weapons. It will just be an opportunity to test it in practice. For Ukraine, this is a good chance and great hope. Just on March 3, Hungary, which had previously actively resisted, unblocked NATO air defense supplies to Ukraine.

Prepared by: Sergey Daga

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