Send The F-16s! Why Ukraine’s Rush For These US-Made Fighters?

ANALYSIS – Europe could soon supply U.S.-made F-16 combat aircraft to Ukraine and provide training for pilots and support crew. Denmark, the Netherlands and Norway could supply up to 73 F-16 fighters.

That's a solid number of very capable combat jets. And they should make a difference against the Russian invaders. Though some experts argue that they won't be the game-changers they are made out to be.

But we do have a lot of them.

As The New York Times noted: “Part of the jets' appeal is that they are in plentiful supply. Many European air forces have F-16s and are getting rid of them to transition to the even more advanced F-35.”

“So, they exist in ample numbers with a built-in Western repair and supply chain, and training programs that can support them years into the future,” the news outlet added.

However, due in part to the shortage of trained English-speaking Ukrainian pilots and support crew, it will take a while to get them delivered and pilots trained and ready, and maintenance and ground crews formed and ready.

They likely won't have any effect on the battlefield until way into next year, or the next.

So why is Ukraine so eager to get pledges for them now?

Well, it's a lot about politics – in Europe and the United States. Especially the potential reelection of Donald Trump next year.

That's why Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky is on a tear getting F-16 commitments.

Norwegian Prime Minister Jonas Gar Støre joined Denmark and the Netherlands last week during a meeting in Kyiv with Zelensky.

“We plan to transfer Norwegian F-16 fighter jets to Ukraine, and will provide further information on the transfer, quantity, and delivery time in due course,” Støre said.

According to Janes, the Royal Norwegian Air Force has 57 F-16AM/BM Block 15 mid-life upgrade (MLU) aircraft in its inventory. Of these, 32 have been sold to Romania, while Norway could transfer 12 to Ukraine.

The Royal Danish Air Force maintains around 40 F-16AM/BM Block 15 MLU aircraft, including some in storage. At the same time, the Royal Netherlands Air Force has 24 F-16AMs updated to the same MLU standard, Janes reports.

The MLU standard allows the F-16s to carry AIM-9 and AIM-120 air-to-air missiles, as well as the Joint Direct Attack Munition (JDAM), the Joint Air-to-Surface Standoff Missile (JASSM), as well as other air-to-surface munitions.

While only a 4^th generation, non-stealth jet, the upgraded F-16s, and the weapons they can carry, are still far superior to the Soviet-era jets Ukraine mostly has now.

Last week, the Biden administration announced that it would train Ukrainian pilots at air bases in Texas and Arizona starting in September.

It will take at least four months to train Ukraine's pilots on aircraft more advanced than what they are used to flying and on tactics and weapons they are not used to using.

Teaching them enough English to understand training manuals and communicate with air traffic controllers and instructors could take longer.

And then there are the ground crews.

The NYT explained: “A former senior U.S. Air Force officer said it takes between 8 to 14 support personnel to maintain, fuel and support each F-16, depending on how many bases the jets operate from.”

But politics rules. And so does the long game. As The New York Times reported:

Ukraine has adamantly insisted the planes would make a significant difference, though American officials have long maintained that tanks, ammunition and most of all, well trained ground troops are far more important in what is, right now, primarily a ground war. The Western warplanes are costly and it could take years to train and field enough pilots to provide sufficient air cover.

As it presses for the fighter jets, Ukraine also senses a ticking political clock, current and former officials in Kyiv and Washington said. Mr. Zelensky appears driven to get as many of the F-16s as possible delivered before elections in Europe and the United States, which could bring a change of heart in the governments that have promised the planes.

The Netherlands, for example, has pledged to give Ukraine as many as 42 F-16s it is phasing out of its air force; it will hold parliamentary elections this November.

The larger concern, though, is the United States, where Republican support for sending tens of billions of dollars in aid to Ukraine is dropping. Former President Donald J. Trump, the frontrunner for the Republican nomination, said in July he would push Mr. Zelensky into peace agreements by telling him “no more — you got to make a deal.”

And that's a big concern for Zelensky. As it would be for any leader defending his country against a brutal aggressor.

The opinions expressed in this article are those of the author and do not necessarily reflect the positions of American Liberty News.

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