Ukraine faces many challenges in getting the F-16 into combat

August 30 ------ After months of intense lobbying, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky is ebullient about the upcoming transfer of Dutch, Norwegian and Danish F-16 fighter jets to the Ukrainian air force.

In many ways, the US-made F-16 is the ideal platform for the Ukrainians. It’s multi-role: it can provide air cover for troops, attack ground targets, take on enemy planes and intercept missiles. And it’s available: European air forces have plenty of F-16s and are phasing them out. There is a ready supply of spare parts; and the F-16 can operate with a variety of weapons systems.

The need is critical: Russian air superiority, especially on the southern front, has stymied the progress of the Ukrainian counteroffensive and inflicted heavy casualties on Ukrainian units. With the right armament, F-16s could deter Russian fighter-bombers from approaching the battlefield. But just when the F-16s will fly combat missions is at the mercy of many variables – training programs which are only now getting underway, getting support infrastructure in place, the type of weaponry deployed. There’s a delicate balance between the urgent need to get the F-16 into Ukrainian colors and the thorough preparations required to make the most of the aircraft. Then there’s the question of how many F-16s would make a difference on the battlefield. Denmark, the Netherlands and Norway have committed to providing Ukraine with more than 60 jets, but some will have to be used for training and there will be a maintenance cycle.

Col. Yurii Ihnat, Ukraine’s air force spokesman, believes that two squadrons, each of 12 planes, would begin to turn the tables. But the F-16 has never gone up against Russian air defenses in the real world. It’s critical to establish the best possible role for it. “The idea of F-16s flying over the front lines and breaking the stalemate is just not viable - it’s just too dangerous,” said Mark Cancian, a senior adviser at the Center for Strategic and International Studies. “Russian air defenses are very formidable.”

Source: cnn.com