The British government is ready to help Poland fill a gap in its air force as Warsaw prepares to send some of its Soviet-designed MiG-29 fighter jets to Ukraine to help repel a Russian invasion, but the Polish government has yet to do so. a formal request to do so, according to statements by Undersecretary of State for Defense James Hippie, published on Monday in an edition of the German newspaper Die Welt.

Last week, the Polish government announced that it was preparing to send four MiG-29s to Ukraine within a few days. This is the first ally of Kyiv to send such fighters, which may entail the need for Warsaw to acquire other aircraft to replace them, possibly used ones.

The UK could help fill the gap, as it did when Poland sent T-72 heavy tanks to Ukraine by offering Challenger 2 tanks, Mr. Hippie Welta explained.

“We would take very positively (if there was) a request from Poland to fill in the gaps that will arise,” insisted the British Deputy Secretary of Defense.

Mr. Hippie is likely referring to the possibility of handing over to Poland some of the 30 or so first-generation Eurofighter Typhoon fighters due to retire in 2025, about 12 of which are in storage, according to a report from specialist website Breaking. Defense. But the idea may stumble upon the availability of spare parts for them and, in general, the especially high cost of maintaining and operating Typhoons, according to the same source.

Source: APE-MPE, Reuters.