Where is the Russian Air Force? (Opinion)
Despite some modern combat aircraft, the supporting VKS infrastructure has not been up to the task in Ukraine. (Photo: Rosoboronexport)
Despite its reputation, the Russian Air Force has failed to make significant advances in Ukraine — but the lessons that will be likely to emerge will be applicable to all.
As Winston Churchill famously opined, ‘air power is the most difficult of all forms of military force to measure, or even express in precise terms’. The question on many observers’ lips at the current time is whether the Russian Aerospace Forces (VKS) can define a role for themselves and execute their mission in Ukraine and if not, why not?
One thing is certain, though — air power offers the commander a number of operational benefits. These include the ability to engage targets in depth; provide a rapid speed of response; create a concentration of firepower; provide flexible, proportional responses; and generate
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