Can Ukrainian military F-16 fighter jets help turn the tide of war?

How does the Ukrainian military use F-16 fighter jets?

The F-16 fighters that arrived in Ukraine were produced in the 1980s, but this does not mean that they are outdated. The F-16 fighters have been upgraded, can carry modern weapons and correspond to the 4th generation aircraft of the early 2000s.

The main feature of the US F-16 fighter jets is that they are strongly integrated into NATO weapons systems, both in the field of information systems, operations and maintenance. For example, these fighters can carry the British Storm Shadow air-to-ground missile.

With F-16 fighters in hand, the Ukrainian military could have a variety of combat options, such as conducting air strikes on Russian military targets to clear the way for ground forces, or attacking Russian territory. However, with the Russian military still dominating and controlling the airspace as it is now, it is more likely that Ukrainian forces will use F-16s for ambushes, that is, taking off for combat missions at low altitudes, then reaching the missile launch level and descending again. The F-16 fighters will receive support from guidance aircraft, capable of long-range operations.

Previously, the use of F-16 fighter jets was also revealed by senior generals in the Ukrainian armed forces. On July 24, in an interview with The Guardian, Commander-in-Chief of the Ukrainian Armed Forces, General Alexander Syrky, said that F-16 fighter jets would enhance Ukraine's air defense capabilities and allow the Ukrainian army to defend more effectively against Russian cruise missiles. However, using F-16s to fly closer than 40 km to the front line would be very dangerous because it would easily fall into the sights of the Russian air defense system.

Meanwhile, according to Izvestia, Russian military expert Dmitry Boltenkov said that the Ukrainian military will use the F-16 to create a dangerous air confrontation with the Russian military. “Since the start of the Russian-Ukrainian military conflict, the Ukrainian Air Force has not had a single confirmed air victory over the Russian Aerospace Forces. Therefore, Ukraine will try at all costs to achieve an air victory with the support of F-16 fighters against Russian fighters. Ukraine can lure Russian fighters to a pre-set target with an ambush or an air strike on Russian territory. The Ukrainian military needs a symbolic result to prove to the West that the military aid packages provided by the West to the Ukrainian military are effective,” Dmitry Boltenkov told Izvestia.

Thus, by transferring F-16 fighter jets to the Ukrainian army, Western countries have fulfilled their previous commitment. Political and military analysts believe that through this move, it can be seen that the West has provided all necessary weapons to the Ukrainian army, from personal weapons to heavy equipment, including long-range attack weapons. Western support helps the Ukrainian government almost only have to focus on fighting against Russia, and this is the most important factor that helps Ukraine to effectively resist and maintain its combat capability up to the present time of the war, in the context that Ukraine has suffered many losses.

Difficult to change the situation of war

According to Izvestia, political and military analysts believe that the appearance of F-16 fighter jets in Ukraine may cause certain difficulties for the Russian military, but will not be able to change the situation of the Russia-Ukraine war in the near future.

First of all, the current war situation is basically leaning towards Russia and is unlikely to be reversed. Although it is not strong enough to shake the entire front line of more than 1,000 km, the Russian army is still basically in control, continuously attacking and achieving some tactical progress. Contrary to the assessment of the Western media, the new military aid packages from NATO countries to the Ukrainian army have not achieved the expected results. On the contrary, the Russian army is destroying Ukraine's strategic reserves, while still advancing steadily and steadily in many different directions along the entire front line.

The F-16, like many other NATO-standard weapons from the US and the West that have been provided to Ukraine, has excellent performance and accurate firepower, but requires strict and complicated maintenance and servicing procedures. The F-16 is an aircraft designed to operate in conventional conditions. It is not suitable for field airfields that lack preparation. Therefore, operating the F-16 in a country at war and with severely damaged infrastructure like Ukraine is a big disadvantage.

Along with that, to operate effectively in Ukrainian airspace, F-16 units must certainly be deployed at airports further west, far from the front line to limit the risk of being attacked by Russia, but this also means that the flight distance to the combat zone is extended, which is not beneficial for medium-class fighters like the F-16. The lack of airborne warning and command aircraft as in conventional combat of the F-16 will greatly limit the use of this fighter by the Ukrainian Air Force.

Another factor that may reduce the effectiveness of the F-16 fighter jets in the hands of the Ukrainian military is the lack of properly trained pilots. Since the end of last year, a number of Ukrainian military pilots have been trained to fly the F-16 in the United States. According to Western media reports, as of June this year, 12 Ukrainian pilots were being trained. They were trained according to an accelerated program and, according to sources, the level of training for Ukrainian military personnel in operating the F-16 aircraft was not guaranteed at the highest level of combat readiness.

Political-military analysts also reiterated the superiority of Russia's Su-30 and Su-34 fighters over the F-16, including in the range of air-to-air missiles. Russia also has air defense missile systems such as the S-400 Triumph, S-500 Prometheus or S-300, capable of shooting down US fighters. In addition, in terms of numbers, Russia has a clear advantage in fighter aircraft; obviously, comparing the number of fighter aircraft in Russia's arsenal with the small number of F-16 fighters and the last remaining MiG-19s of the Ukrainian army is quite lame.