With NATO tanks now heading east, Kyiv is pressing its Western partners to finally commit American-made fighter aircraft.
David Deptula, a retired U.S. Air Force Lieutenant General and the dean of The Mitchell Institute for Aerospace Studies, toldthat U.S.-made aircraft could have a decisive impact on the battlefield, both in the defense and offensive operations that Kyiv will need to hold ground and liberate more territory.
Among the F-16s capabilities are"area air defense; cruise missile defense; close air support; interdiction; direct attack; and suppression of enemy air defenses," Deptula said."In the anticipated three-prong Russian spring offensive against Ukraine, F-16s could rapidly swing from one front to another providing the lethality and capabilities necessary at the time and place needed—air forces can do that in minutes, ground forces cannot.
"Unless Ukraine acquires a replacement fighter force of Western origin in coming months, it will lose the ability to defend its airspace and support its ground forces, and without control of their airspace they will lose."Beyond the political maneuvering, sending Western fighter jets to Ukraine will pose significant logistical issues.
"If you have an operational squadron of F-16s or something in Ukraine in three months' time compared with two battle groups of tanks, is that a good trade? And the answer is probably no." "An F-16 cannot operate at medium level comfortably over the frontlines dropping precision guided bombs with its targeting pod as they have done in Afghanistan, Iraq, or Libya...the Russian ground based air defense threat is too high."
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