According to military-political expert Oleksandr Kovalenko, the first targets of Ukrainian F-16s will be missiles and drones of the criminal army of the Russian Federation.
Points of attention
- The first targets of Ukrainian F-16s in Ukraine are missiles and drones of the Russian army, aiming to strengthen air defense systems and protect against ballistic missiles and enemy aircraft.
- F-16s are capable of countering Iranian drones, driving away enemy aircraft, reducing the effectiveness of launching Russian anti-aircraft missiles, and protecting against aerial bombs by the Russian aviation.
- The F-16s in Ukraine can perform separate operations to destroy enemy aircraft, contribute to successful Defense Forces actions, and allow for the release and redeployment of air defense in critical areas for better territorial protection.
- Experts believe that Ukrainian F-16s can significantly reduce the use of anti-aircraft missiles by the Russian military, drive away enemy aircraft from Ukrainian borders, and provide additional protection against aerial threats, contributing to maintaining airspace security and national defense.
- While facing risks from air defense systems and enemy missiles, the F-16s can operate at a distance from the front line, deep into the territory of the Russian Federation, and potentially drive away enemy aircraft with advanced weaponry and radar capabilities.
What is known about the first combat missions of Ukrainian F-16s
But not the entire nomenclature. In the amount in which they will be used, they will take separate directions of aerial interception of enemy weapons. They are limited to such means as a subsonic cruise missile. That is, for the interception of the X-101/555, or for the Kalibr missiles - they are quite suitable for this - explains Kovalenko.
He emphasized that the F-16 is capable of countering Iranian drones of the Shahed-136 type used by the Russian invaders.
However, Kovalenko warns that there are certain risks when performing such tasks.
Since the "Shahed-136" is a rather slow target for the F-16 and therefore it is necessary to work on them either at a distance or in close combat, using an automatic cannon. Therefore, still, it is better on a remote one. But it is not known how effective short-range missiles will be to practice against such objects as "Shahed-136," the analyst notes.
He believes that F-16s can also be used to destroy the aircraft of the criminal army of the Russian Federation.
At the same time, Kovalenko predicts that these will most likely be separate operations.
These aircraft can also be used to destroy such aircraft as the Su-34 - the main carriers of anti-aircraft missiles. And to act pointwise and locationally. They will not support the entire battle line at the same time - we understand that, there are still not enough of them. They can be concentrated for separate operations, in some separate area. To contribute as much as possible to the successful actions of the Defense Forces in this particular area. When there are more of them, then the area of action will be expanded, - the analyst emphasizes.
Will the F-16s be able to counteract the dropping of KAB aerial bombs by the Russian aviation
According to the aviation expert, member of the Public Council of the State Aviation Service, Bohdan Dolintse, on the air of the Espresso channel, the F-16s in service with Ukraine are capable of driving the aircraft of the Russian invaders away from the Ukrainian borders and significantly reducing the use of anti-aircraft missiles by war criminals of the Russian army.
Given the armaments that have been announced and that we will receive with the aircraft, this means that the F-16s can perform additional tasks. That is, the protection of the airspace and the destruction of air targets, which allows to drive the Russian aviation away from the boundaries of the use of modified weapons, in particular, anti-aircraft missiles, - emphasizes Dolintse.
The analyst explained that, depending on the weight, the range of the KAB aerial bomb is 50-70 km.
Together with the F-16 and AIM-120 AMRAAM missiles with a strike range of up to 105 km, as well as the fighter's onboard radar, which can detect and destroy targets at a distance of 160 km and more, we say that these aircraft are capable of driving away enemy aircraft . Drive out so that the effectiveness of the launch of Russian anti-tank missiles will be significantly lower. Or the enemy will have to enter the zone of damage of the F-16 - Dolintse notes.
He added that it had already been announced that Ukrainian F-16s would operate at a distance of up to 50 km from the front line and would not enter the air defense zone of the criminal army of the Russian Federation.
Based on this, we can talk about the depth of protection of the F-16 of 50-60 km behind the front line or directly deep into the territory of the Russian Federation, if together with the planes we will be given permission to destroy enemy air targets in Russian airspace, - stressed Dolintse.
However, he warned that the F-16 is threatened by the air defense systems of the Russian occupiers, ballistic and aviation ballistic missiles.
In particular, the primary danger is posed by enemy "Kinjal" missiles capable of hitting aircraft locations.
At the same time, in his opinion, the use of these aircraft will allow, including in certain locations, to release some air defense and redeploy them to other places where they are more needed.
