Ukraine Air Force Uses iPads to Control Soviet-Era Planes—But Why?

The Ukrainian Air Force shared a video of its pilots using an Apple iPad to help them in combat and further assist them when flying their Soviet-era aircraft during missions.

It is similar to pop culture's street racers connecting computers or iPads to get better knowledge and control of their cars, with Ukraine's iPad needs centering on adopting new Western tech.

While Ukraine has no funds yet to upgrade to modern fighter jets and airplanes, the retrofitting and additional tech in their military aircraft need something to control them, and here is where the iPads come in.

Ukraine's Air Force Uses iPads to Control its Soviet-Era Planes

The Telegraph revealed that the Ukrainian Air Force shared a video about how its Su-27 Soviet-era aircraft is controlled. The pilot is seen controlling the aircraft with an iPad attached to the yoke.

This revealed that Ukraine's aircraft fleet is using modern technology for its Soviet-era planes, most of which are decades old.

While the main reason behind this remains unknown, Ukrainians utilize this new gadget for their Air Force's needs to defend the country and launch attacks against their enemy.

Why does Ukraine use an Apple iPad for its aircraft?

Dr. William LaPlante, the US Undersecretary of Defense for Acquisition and Sustainment, revealed that Ukrainians use the iPad to control the High-speed Anti-Radiation Missions (HARMs) fitted to their fleet.

According to the War Zone, Ukraine's Soviet-era planes lack the technology needed to control the modern weapons of its allies, but the iPad helps pilots make Western technology compatible with their aircraft.

Apart from the United States' weapons, iPads are also used for France's Hammer bombs and the UK's Storm Shadow missiles.

Ukraine and the Help it Got from Allies

It is known that Ukraine has long struggled with its tension with Russia, and the more powerful and larger transcontinental country's attack effectively had a massive effect on its state.

However, various allied nations extended their helping hand to the country invaded by the Russians, with the US extending their hand by providing warfare weapons like long-range ATACMS missiles and more.

Additionally, the United States and Germany have both pledged that they will supply Ukraine with military tanks to help defend their land from their neighboring invader.

At one point, Poland also talked about how it would provide Ukraine with several F-16 fighter jets, one that would modernize their fleet compared to its existing Soviet-era planes.

For years, Ukraine has suffered from Russia's attacks and aggression, with the country initially left defenseless from its more powerful enemy with the resources it had.

However, help came when they needed it most.

The US, one of its allies, is now providing the HARM missiles and other technology to their existing Soviet-era fleet, with an iPad used to control several advancements to it.