Ukraine is finally getting the western fighter jets it wants, if everything goes as planned. President of the United States Joe Biden said over the weekend that he would give his allies permission to supply F-16 fighters to Ukraine.
Biden announced his support just days after Britain, the Netherlands, Belgium and France announced a coalition aimed at getting Ukraine to use modern Western fighter jets.
Currently, the United States is training Ukrainian pilots in the use of fighter jets, and Ukraine hopes that Western countries will donate fighter jets to them after the training.
We asked a researcher at the Foreign Policy Institute From Charly Salonius-Pasternak and from the former commander of the Air Force From Joki About the characteristics and impact of the F-16 fighter on the war, if Ukraine were to get them.
What is the F-16 fighter like and which countries have used it? What are the four most important features of the F-16 fighter?
Jokkin lists the most important features in his opinion:
1. The fighter has been tested in a real situation, i.e. it has been proven that it can handle battles and war situations.
2. It is single-engine, so it is lighter than twin-engine fighters. It is therefore logistically easier to use.
3. It is very versatile, there are almost unlimited options. Much of the western weaponry is available on the plane, and it is possible for Ukraine to get them.
4. The machine has extremely good support in the world: there are a lot of machine experts, experts and mechanics.
Are F-16 fighters the decisive weapon for Ukraine?
According to Jokis, it is possible that there will be a big change in the war.
– It depends on how many fighter jets Ukraine gets and how much they are able to train their pilots. However, training the Ukrainians is faster than imagined, because they already have combat experience, says Jokinen.
According to Salonius-Pasternak, the US estimate for fighter training is four months.
– It may be that we can do it even faster if the situation demands and we have to take a risk, Salonius-Pasternak says.
However, someone is raising the possibility of a quick Ukrainian victory.
According to Salonius-Pasternak, neither side of the war is currently able to utilize the interoperability of several defense systems.
– F-16 fighters enable cooperation of Ukraine’s air defense system, so that its own anti-aircraft missiles would not shoot down its own fighters, says Salonius-Pasternak.
According to Salonius-Pasternak, if fighter jets, missiles and other weapons are made to work together, it would bring performance that Russia does not currently have.
– But this whole thing takes time, he says.
However, not everyone is so optimistic. Current F-16 interviewed by CNN (you go to another service) according to the pilot, fighter jets are not a revolutionary solution for Ukraine. According to him, you can learn to fly the F-16 easily, but using them in a war zone is a completely different matter.
Why does Ukraine want F-16 fighters?
According to Salonius-Pasternak and Jokinen, the F-16 is a good choice in the longer term, because they are still being updated and manufactured. According to them, there is currently no more reasonable option.
– When the war ends, Ukraine will need defense forces that have a big enough threshold and deterrence against Russia, a bit like Finland had for a long time, says Salonius-Pasternak.
According to Salonius-Pasternak and Jokinen, the F-16 also seems to be the type of fighter that countries are ready to provide.
– An awful lot of them have been produced. More countries in Europe are transitioning from F-16 planes to F-35 fighters, says Jokinen.
According to Jokinen and Salonius-Pasternak, the life cycle of the machine is secured because there is a lot of training, mechanics and other experts available.
Who could Ukraine get F-16 fighter jets from and how much does it need?
According to Jokinen, several European countries have upgraded their own F-16 fighters in the early 2000s.
– The upgrade brought fighter performance to a very high level in the world at that time. They are at the level of the Finnish Hornets, if they have been maintained, says Jokinen.
However, someone has realized that Ukraine is not getting the latest versions. Salonius-Pasternak has heard that Norway would possibly provide its own machines.
According to Joki, several dozen fighters would be needed at the beginning in order to maintain the tempo of the operation. The operational tempo means that F-16 fighters are kept in the air to challenge Russian fighters.
– France is quite a good comparison country in terms of size and there are a couple of hundred fighter jets there. Ukraine will definitely need around 150–200 planes in the end, he says.
However, it is still not certain whether the Western countries will get to the point of handing over the machines, although it now looks promising for Ukraine.
How do F-16 fighters differ from Ukraine’s current fighters?
According to Jokinen, the F-16 fighters are significantly more advanced than Ukraine’s current fighters.
– The use of a software-based fighter compared to the more mechanical ones of the Ukrainians is considerably different, but can be learned, Jokinen says.
Ukraine is currently unable to challenge Russian machines.
– With the help of the F-16, Ukraine will get closer to the level of Russian fighters or even to the same level. However, this requires electronic warfare systems and high-performance air-to-air missiles, says Jokinen.
What are the similarities between the older and newer models of the F-16 fighter?
According to Jokinen, there are many similarities.
– Technically, they are recognizable. Metaphorically, the different models of a fighter jet are like different models of the same car brand, i.e. somewhat different spare parts, but a lot in common, he says.
According to him, the performance of the fighters depends on the age of the fighters and the software installed on them.
– I believe that some specific software is prioritized for Ukraine, because training several software takes time, says Jokinen.
How does the F-16 compare to Russian fighters?
According to Salonius-Pasternak, it depends on how well cooperation between fighters and, for example, anti-aircraft systems is successful, and what weapons Ukraine gets.
– If we talk about the oldest F-16 fighters, they are not as good in all areas compared to the newest fighters of the Russians, but on the other hand, they are better compared to what Ukraine has now, Salonius-Pasternak says.
According to Jokinen, it is still unclear how the Russian fighter Suhoi Su-35 will fare against the F-16 fighter.
– On paper, the Su-35 is a very capable plane, but it has never faced the F-16 in combat. The Su-35 was considered much more capable, which it has proven to be in practice. On paper, the F-16 is at the same level as the Su-35, says Jokinen.
You can discuss the topic until Wednesday at 11 p.m.