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Airlifters from the Ukrainian air force visited Ramstein June 21 to 25 to participate in an engagement focused on airlift interoperability.
The five-day trip showcased the 86th Airlift Wing’s operation and support capabilities to the Ukrainian airmen.
“The goal of the visit was to assist the Ukrainians in advancing and modernizing their air force,” said Capt. Brent Gaylord, 37th Airlift Squadron C-130J Super Hercules pilot. “Eventually, they’d like to increase their partnership in coalition forces with the U.S. and other countries.”
While here, the Ukrainian members visited maintenance shops, the air traffic control tower, airfield management and radar facilities, culminating with a flight on a C-130J.
“We are impressed by the streamlined process at Ramstein,” said Col. Oleksander Kulibaba, Ukrainian air force command deputy chief for aviation. “With the experience and knowledge we are gaining from the U.S., we’ll try our best to implement with the Ukrainian air force.”
For Colonel Kulibaba, this trip was also a chance to further the partnership between the two countries.
“This visit was to continue the relationship between the Ukrainian 25th Airlift Brigade and the 86th Airlift Wing,” he said. “We hope this relationship will continue to be developed in the future. Right now, we are working on the issue of interoperability between the Ukrainian air force and NATO. Everything we are learning here is very beneficial to be adopted later in the Ukraine.”
Both Ukrainian airmen and 86th AW personnel took advantage of the opportunity for information exchange.
“They’ve been very interested in the shops we’ve visited,” Captain Gaylord said. “Their questions were very intuitive; they were very relevant questions that showed they were taking an interest and also understanding everything we’ve been showing them.”
The captain also placed high significance on certain aspects of U.S. military structure.
“One of the important things we stressed to them was how important professional personnel are, especially the professional enlisted NCO force we have,” he said.
Captain Gaylord also explained the value of this visit not only to the Ukrainian air force, but to the U.S. Air Force as well.
“Ukraine has the IL-76 Candid, which is a strategic airlift aircraft,” he said. “They’re one of our few partner nations who have that ability, so this is a strategic partnership that has been going on for several years, and we’d like to continue in the future. We’re hoping with the modernization of their force and how their operations run, they will continue to be a valuable coalition member in the future.”
As the visit ended, the Ukrainian airmen expressed their appreciation for the opportunity to increase interoperability with a fellow Partnership for Peace nation.
“The visit was very successful,” Colonel Kulibaba said. “I would like to thank our U.S. colleagues for the very warm welcome they were able to provide to us.”
The 86th AW consists of six groups and several geographically separated units, providing world-class airlift, expeditionary combat support, full-spectrum airfield operations and base services for the KMC.
The Ukrainian air force was established in 1992, and consists of five branches of aviation, focusing on reformation and development of personnel and aircraft through improvement of organizational structure and modernization of aircraft.
