How Ukraine Can Survive the Exhaustion of Its Air Defense Stocks

How Ukraine Can Survive the Exhaustion of Its Air Defense Stocks

Author: Silverado Policy Accelerator April 17, 2023 Duration: 1:06:07
Dmitri Alperovitch talks with Justin Bronk (Senior Research Fellow for Airpower and Technology at  RUSI and Professor at Royal Norwegian Air Force Academy) and Dara Massicot (Russian military analyst at RAND) about the dire implications of the dwindling stocks of Ukrainian air defense interceptors and what can be done to solve that problem. Justin makes a strong case for how only a dozen or so Swedish Saab Gripen jets could make a huge difference for Ukrainian objective to make Russian air power irrelevant in this war and Dara proposes an asymmetric response to deny Russian military launch platforms from which they could strike Ukraine. Also, in the podcast:- Why F-16s are a terrible fit for Ukrainian airfields and the dilemma the US would face in providing the newest AMRAAM missiles for them (that Ukraine would need) without jeopardizing US air superiority in the potential conflict with China- How the Russian Air Force is likely to carpet-bomb Ukrainian cities, provide increased close air support to its ground forces and target Ukrainian logistics/ammo depots/force concentrations and HIMARS launchers if they achieve air superiority over the skies in Ukraine- The challenges with producing Soviet air defense interceptor missiles outside of Russia- Why Western air defense systems (Patriots, NASAMS, IRIS-T, etc) are not a replacement for the large quantities of Ukrainian S-300s and Buks- How countermeasures on Russian fighter jets have actually been effective in limiting their combat losses against MANPADS like Stingers- Why Russian Aerospace Forces (VKS) are considered the most professional and most responsive to learning units in the Russian military- The success of Ukrainian counter-UAV battle against Iranian Shahed kamikaze drones and how a phone app is making a key difference for Ukraine in that fight Music: "Flygkadetten Marsch"  (The Aviation Cadet March) of the Swedish Air Force

Hosted by Dmitri Alperovitch and presented by the Silverado Policy Accelerator, Geopolitics Decanted offers a deep and nuanced examination of the forces shaping our world. This isn't about quick headlines; it's a podcast dedicated to patient, detailed analysis and substantive conversations with leading experts. Each episode distills complex international issues, moving beyond superficial narratives to explore the underlying strategies, technologies, and economic instruments at play. You'll hear focused discussions on ongoing conflicts like the war in Ukraine, the multifaceted competition between major powers, and the evolving tools of statecraft, from economic sanctions and export controls to cybersecurity threats and the global race for semiconductor supremacy. Geopolitics Decanted is for those who feel that understanding global affairs requires more than sound bites-it demands context, historical perspective, and a willingness to engage with the granular details that truly define geopolitical shifts. Through these in-depth interviews and Alperovitch's own commentary, the podcast provides listeners with a clearer, more comprehensive framework for making sense of an increasingly interconnected and contested global landscape.
Author: Language: English Episodes: 79

Geopolitics Decanted with Dmitri Alperovitch
Podcast Episodes
Keys Lessons for Taiwan from the War in Ukraine [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

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Duration: 48:46
In the latest episode, Dmitri Alperovitch talks with Michael Kofman about the Kerch bridge attack, as well as: - Prospect of nuclear weapons use by Putin - Analysis of how Russia’s mobilization drive has gone thus far -…
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Duration: 53:35
Twitter Space recording from September 21, 2022 of a conversation between Dmitri Alperovitch , Michael Kofman and Rob Lee on the implications of Putin's partial mobilization order and the impact it may have on the outcom…
Like Ants to Wet Sugar: How Ukraine Won The Battle of Kharkiv [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 45:27
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Russian northern front collapse: Latest on Ukrainian Counteroffensive [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 42:54
Twitter Space recording from September 10, 2022 of a conversation between Dmitri Alperovitch and Michael Kofman on the implications of the rapid collapse of the Russian forces pocket in northern Ukraine and what the futu…
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Duration: 38:05
Was there ever a grain shortage crisis caused by the Russian blockade of Ukrainian exports? Dmitri Alperovitch gets the real story from Dr. Scott Irwin, Professor of Agricultural and Consumer Economics at University of I…
Ukraine’s cheap drones wreak havoc in Crimea [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 1:02:07
Dmitri Alperovitch discusses the impact of Ukrainian drone strikes on Russian military facilities and logistics in Crimea with Michael Kofman (Research Program Director in the Russia Studies Program at the Center for Nav…