According to Western journalists, currently only 6 Ukrainian pilots have fully completed training on American F-16 fighter jets.
Points of attention
- Ukrainian pilots are facing delays and issues in training on F-16 fighters, with only 6 pilots successfully completing training so far.
- Ukraine urgently requires more F-16 fighters, however, partners are transferring only a limited number of units at a slow pace.
- The introduction of F-16 aircraft can significantly affect the war dynamics by countering Russian troops and bombers, delivering precision strikes on enemy targets.
- Despite limited numbers, the actions of F-16 fighter jets in Ukraine can disrupt Russia's long-range air defense systems and accelerate strategic events on the front lines.
- Military experts suggest that even a small number of F-16 aircraft can have a substantial impact on the conflict, similar to how a few HIMARS missiles led to significant strategic gains in the past.
What is wrong with the terms of training Ukrainian pilots on the F-16 and the transfer of these fighters to Ukraine
The publication emphasizes that this year Ukraine will receive only one F-16 squadron, which is approximately 20 aircraft.
According to President Volodymyr Zelenskyi and the military leadership of Ukraine, Western partners are providing Ukraine with too few modern fighter jets and too slowly for it to affect the situation in the criminal war unleashed by Russia.
It is noted that the first F-16s that Ukraine will receive from partners will be able to operate exclusively for defense purposes.
We will not use fighters too close to the Russians because of the threat of air defense, - explained one of the Ukrainian high-ranking officials.
The publication noted that, for example, the Russian propaganda Telegram channel Fighterbomber, which specializes in aviation, has already hastened to declare that with six pilots, Ukraine will be able to use only 2 fighters at the same time, because "a pilot cannot work around the clock."
Two pilots is a maximum of 10 sorties per day in total. For all of Ukraine, 10 F-16 sorties are nothing, Russian propagandists claim.
How the F-16 will affect the situation on the front
According to military-political expert Oleksandr Kovalenko on Channel 24, Ukraine needs at least 128 F-16 fighter jets, but initially the partners will transfer a limited number of units.
However, as the analyst notes, even a small number of these aircraft will be able to significantly influence the course of the war.
In particular, Kovalenko recalled that in June 2022, Ukraine received only 4 HIMARS surface-to-air missiles.
However, the correct use of these four HIMARS at the appropriate operational-tactical level led to the fact that the Russian occupying forces were forced to flee from the right bank of the Kherson region already in October, Kovalenko emphasizes.
According to him, at first the F-16s will not take part in combat missions to cover ground units of the Armed Forces of Ukraine on the front line.
However, they will be able to counter Russian Su-34 front-line bombers.
Also, the provided planes will deliver "jewelry" strikes "wherever it will be as painful as possible for the enemy."
Where such strikes will be carried out, Russian long-range air defense, in particular, the S-300 and S-400, will no longer be able to fully function. F-16 strikes, as well as HIMARS at one time, will accelerate some events, the conditions for which are now quite successfully forming, - explains the analyst.
