According to military expert Oleksandr Musienko, the F-16 fighter jets transferred to Ukraine by Western partners will initially perform 3 tasks.
Points of attention
- Ukrainian F-16 fighter jets will initially focus on air defense in the sky over the west and center of the country, attacking ground targets, and countering carriers of KAB in the east and south.
- The timing of when Ukrainian F-16s will be able to shoot down Russian aircraft with anti-aircraft missiles is uncertain and dependent on the supply of more fighters from Western partners and modern armor.
- Military expert Oleksandr Musienko highlights the strategic stages involved, such as air defense operations and attacks on enemy targets, before transitioning into countering the use of KAB aerial bombs by Russian planes.
- Western partners are cautious about the usage of F-16s, aiming to avoid image consequences, and stress the importance of carefully integrating the aircraft and acquiring necessary weapons like JASSM missiles.
- The gradual progression towards the third stage of utilizing Ukrainian F-16s against Russian aircraft implies a phased approach to strengthening Ukraine's defense capabilities.
What is known about the priority tasks of the Ukrainian F-16s
The first stage is anti-aircraft defense in the sky over the west and center of our country. And they are able to contribute very seriously to the protection of our sky, even six units. The second is attacks by advanced JDAMs on ground targets of the occupiers. I do not think that along the entire front line at the beginning. But they definitely will. And attacks on air defense systems and anti-radar stations. This is what we will see in the first two stages, - emphasizes Musienko.
The analyst notes that the transition to the third stage will be implemented gradually by the Ukrainian military.
In particular, it will depend on the timing of Ukraine receiving more fighter jets from Western partners.
The third stage involves the fight against the carriers of KAB, who are bothering our people in the east and south. This will already be the third stage, perhaps when the DRLV planes arrive. This is a certain reinforcement, of course. Even this amount will help us, - explains Musienko.
When Ukrainian F-16s will be able to counteract the dropping of anti-aircraft missiles by Russian aircraft
The analyst emphasized that it is currently unknown when Ukraine will be able to use the F-16 to counter the use of KAB aerial bombs by the planes of the criminal army of the Russian Federation, as the Western partners are very concerned about the fate of the fighters handed over to Ukraine.
They perceive the very image consequences that, God forbid, one plane will be lost. But this is war, one must understand that risks are always present. Also, they want the planes to be used carefully in the first stages, so that they get used to it, so that they too get used to it. And it will depend on the supply of weapons. If we receive the same JASSM missiles, it means that we will be able to more actively use these aircraft for ground targets, - emphasizes Musienko.
