filmed before a training flight earlier this year this was the Ukrainian F-16 pilot who was killed when his jet came down in eastern Ukraine Colonel Alexi mess call sign MoonFish was one of just half a dozen Ukrainian Pilots qualified to fly the jet in combat he was killed during a mission to intercept Russian Crews missiles Kei says it could use Western air defense systems like Patriot or rst to do that job instead if it was given more of them so how can Ukraine conserve its precious Pilots well one answer says former RAF a marshall Greg Bagwell would be for NATO to impose a no fly zone over Western Ukraine something like this area marked in blue that he says would allow the Ukrainian Air Force to focus its efforts on the front line would you Advocate typhoons based in Romania as they are now being able to fly into Ukraine and take down chis that were effectively overshooting ke on their way to L or somewhere it is a serious option that I think too many have probably discounted too early if you say the words no TR Zone it cones up all sorts of images and people's heads and and and quite often actually the no fly zones that we've done in the past they weren't no fly zones they were but they were also no Drive zones in other words it wasn't just no airplanes it was no military activity whatsoever otherwise you know you you'll get your just desserts in this case we're talking about no objects zone so you know cruise missiles Hypersonic missiles even or drones using potentially NATO assets to engage them in the west of the country because that what that wouldn't require you to do it would not require you to engage manned crude aircraft and it wouldn't require you therefore to be concerned about groundbased air defense based in Russia in recent weeks moscow's stepped up its drone and missile attacks on Ukraine's towns and cities targeting key infrastructure and utilities as the country heads into winter Ukraine claims its Air Force has flown more than 20,000 sorties and destroyed 8,000 Russian air assets from planes and helicopters to cruise missiles and drones Poland recently said it has the right to shoot down any Russian missile over Ukraine that is heading towards its borders the air marshal says NATO should do the same using its massive air power to police the Skies over Western Ukraine if you look at the threat scenario we we've put no fly zones over countries over the top of their surface to air systems daring them not to fire at us you know whether that be Iraq or Libya so so we have we have created no fly zones over the top of a hostile country for years we're not talking about that in this scenario we're talking about putting a noly zone or call it what you will an engagement Zone over a western half of a friendly country um where there aren't Russian aircraft so you know this is not at the same level of threat as some of the nfly zones we've done in the past but what about the politics both the UK and us have stopped Ukraine from using their longrange cruise missiles inside Russia fearing it would be escalatory so how would the idea of a no fly zone go down I think that would be palatable politically to put Western pilots in the air over Ukraine even with that minimal risk I I'll be honest probably not listening listening to the rhetoric coming out of cap certain capitals I I think that that would just be Beyond The Pale because we've got into a mindset where anything that we do that might antagonize Russia is is something we must not do um but but you can't in the same breath then say we must do everything possible to help Ukraine win um you can't have it both ways and Marshall Bagwell says article 51 of the NATO Charter provides a legal basis for a no fly zone it allows Collective self-defense if a UN member is attacked for Ukraine the loss of such an experienced pilot as Colonel mess is a major blow the air marshal believes a no fly zone offers a lowrisk way for NATO to directly support Ukraine allowing its few Pilots to focus on the fight in the East Simon Newton bfbs forces news thanks for watching for more from forces news like And subscribe to our Channel