According to the Air Force Command spokesman, Maj Ilya Yevlash, Ukraine is using all possible mechanisms to ensure the effective operation of F-16 fighters and their deployment on its territory.
Points of attention
- Ukraine is thoroughly preparing to deploy and effectively deploy F-16 fighter jets in its territory.
- It is unlikely that the Mirage 2000-5 fighters will be able to withstand the modern Russian Federation aircraft because their technological level lags far behind the F-16.
- The appearance of Mirage fighters in Ukraine's service will require complex logistics and pilot training, which may complicate the deployment of the F-16.
- Ukrainian fighter jets are at a disadvantage in their ability to engage Russian aircraft at long range compared to the American AIM-120 AMRAAM missiles that the F-16 is equipped with.
- The analytical conclusion emphasises that, in modern conditions, Ukraine's use of the Mirage 2000-5 may be an ineffective solution for conducting military operations.
Can the strikes of the Russian army on Ukrainian airfields make it impossible to use the F-16
A spokesman for the Air Force noted that, most likely, the Russian invaders will hunt Ukrainian F-16s.
And there is no need to talk about the fact that they will manage to "disrupt something very badly". As we now see that the enemy is actively trying to attack our airfields, however, you can see that the Ukrainian aviation continues to perform its tasks and quite successfully, — emphasised Yevlash.
According to him, all necessary measures will be taken to secure the planes and ensure their active performance of tasks.
Will the French Mirage 2000-5 fighters be able to influence the course of the war in Ukraine?
According to Le Monde, the Mirage 2000-5 fighter jets France promised Ukraine would be helpful. Still, they are unlikely to withstand the modern aircraft of the Russian occupation army because they are even older than the F-16.
The Mirage 2000-5 fighter is an evolutionary improvement of the 2000C version, but this modification is still the oldest aircraft in service with the French Air Force.
Having served for almost 25 years, this model is undoubtedly less potent than the Rafale, which is due to finally replace all Mirages in the French Air Force by 2030.
But it is far from outdated. It remains an important part of the protection of French skies, as well as external operations, in particular under the auspices of NATO, the publication emphasises.
According to Emmanuel Macron, this aircraft was used as a "sky cleaner" during the operation of French forces in Syria in 2018.
It can also be used to strike ground targets, which other Mirage 2000-5 operator countries did, but not France itself.
The main advantage of this aircraft is the on-board radar, capable of detecting up to 24 targets and tracking them. Also, the fighter can simultaneously launch four MICA interceptor missiles with a range of up to 80 km.
The on-board guidance system can guide missiles at the initial stage of flight, then switch to their guidance system as they approach the target.
This gives a minimum reaction time for the enemy aircraft at which these missiles are launched.
According to Justin Bronk, an expert on defense systems and a researcher at the Royal United Services Institute in London, regardless of how many of these aircraft Ukraine will receive from France, their effectiveness is not guaranteed.
In particular, the appearance of these aircraft in service with the Armed Forces will require the establishment of separate logistics chains and the training of pilots separately for these aircraft, which may harm the deployment of the F-16.
Because of this, Sweden refused to transfer its Gripen aircraft to Ukraine, which is superior to the French Mirage in terms of performance.
The second disadvantage in this situation is the Mirage 2000-5's technological level.
What Ukrainian aviation needs most is the ability to engage Russian fighters operating 50, 60 or 70 kilometers behind the front line, at very high altitude and at high speed. Only long-range missiles can be truly effective, and the range of MICA missiles is significantly shorter than that of the American AIM-120 AMRAAMs, which the F-16 is likely to be equipped with. And even this is not enough, the analyst explains.
According to him, to shoot down Russian planes, Ukrainian fighters must get closer to the front line.
For safety, it is better to fly at a low altitude, which means that the rocket will start its trajectory in a very dense atmosphere and will be forced to fight against gravity.
That's not to say the Mirage 2000-5 can't fulfill other roles, such as shooting down Russian drones, but given the financial, logistical, and human constraints, I'm not convinced it's a good idea at this point, concludes Justin Bronk.
