Why Ukraine Needs The F-16 Fighter To Battle Russia

Welcome to the TDTV channel. Like and subscribe to support us. One of the first things the Ukrainian military asked for when the Russian forces invaded was fighter jets. Now Kiev is asking for Western fighter jets such as the F-16 Fighting Falcon, Dassault Mirage 2000 and F-3 Rafale. Germany said that it wouldn't be giving any of its Eurofighter Typhoon fighter jets. And it's not alone. Asked about whether the U.S. is willing to provide F-16 fighter jets to Ukraine, U.S. President Joe Biden said no. However, Biden didn't say that the U.S. would stand in the way of any NATO member or partner that is willing to send American-made fighter jets to Kiev. According to the Ukrainian Air Force, Ukraine is upgrading its airport infrastructure and airstrips in various regions in anticipation of deliveries of Western fighter jets. In addition, it has approved a list of pilots and flight engineers who would be trained on the F-16 Fighting Falcon in the event that the U.S. approves transfers. Before the war, the Ukrainian Air Force operated a medium-sized fleet mainly comprised of about 50 MiG-29 Fulcrum and 32 Su-27 Flanker fighter jets. At the same time, there were a number of Su-24 Fencer and Su-25 Frogfoot attack aircraft. The mismatch between Russia's advanced military technology and Ukraine's obsolete military equipment is one of the most important reasons an upgrade is needed. Ukrainian pilots especially are at a severe disadvantage because Soviet-era aircraft like the MiG-29 cannot compete with contemporary fighter aircraft in terms of performance. In contrast, the F-16 is a fighter with a strong track record of success in combat missions. Indeed, the fighter aircraft is the most agile ever manufactured, with the exception of the F-22, according to retired Major General Michael Fontini, who flew F-16s during the Iraq War. It is therefore the best option for the Ukrainian Air Force. It would be a mistake to undervalue the advantages the F-16 would create for the Ukrainian military. The spokesperson for the Ukrainian Air Force, Yuriy Anet, said that it would only take Ukrainian pilots a few weeks to learn how to fly the F-16s and several months to become proficient with them. With the right instruction, the Air Force would rapidly incorporate the F-16s into their operations and utilize them to launch counteroffensives over land that Russia has captured. The F-16 is one of the most commonly utilized fighter jets in the world in terms of logistics, and several U.S. allies have it in their fleets. This means that the F-16 supply chain has strong, global backing, making it simpler for Ukraine to sustain the aircraft over time. Various missions may also be carried out by F-16 planes. These aircraft can be used for purposes other than straightforward defense. Ukraine is currently using its Air Force to shoot down missiles fired by Russia and Iran that are aimed toward its borders. A fighter jet like the F-16 can be more effective in destroying air targets than an air defense system because it can move to any part of Ukraine and intercept a rocket, while air defense systems need to be stationed in places where a missile attack is anticipated. Russia's Su-35 fighter jets may be familiar with the skies over Ukraine, but it remains to be seen whether they will find themselves up against the U.S. Air Force's F-16 jets that Kiev has repeatedly called for. The Lockheed Martin F-16 Fighting Falcon has been the mainstay of the U.S. and allied air forces for decades. Over the years, the aircraft has evolved from a lightweight visual-range dogfighter into a potent multi-role warplane that flies the gamut of missions ranging from the suppression of enemy air defenses to air superiority. Though it has been operational since 1980, the Viper continues to evolve and will remain in service with the U.S. Air Force and other militaries for decades to come. But while the F-16 remains a potent fighter, potential adversaries have caught up. The latest Russian aircraft like the Sukhoi Su-35 can match or exceed the Viper in many respects. While the Su-35 is more of an analog to the Boeing F-15 Eagle, Russia is selling many more flankers than MiG-29 Fulcrum derivatives around the world. Indeed, the U.S. Air Force usually has its Red Air Aggressors replicate flanker variants, usually the Flanker G, rather than the MiG-29 or its derivatives during large force exercises like Red Flag or Red Flag Alaska. That's because derivatives of the massive twin-engine Russian jet are amongst the most likely aerial adversaries American pilots might face. The Su-35 is not the most common flanker derivative, but it is the most capable version built to date. In the right hands, with properly trained pilots and support from ground controllers or an AWACS, the Su-35 is an extremely formidable threat to every western fighter save for the F-22 Raptor. The F-35 would probably be okay too, if the pilots used its stealth, sensors, and networking to their advantage. Tactics and training makes all the difference. What about the workhorse fleet of F-16s? The Viper doesn't have the latest upgraded F-15CS Massive Active Electronically Scanned Array, AESA, radar, nor can the F-16 usually lob the AIM-120 missile from the speeds and altitudes that the Eagle can attain. But then the F-15C was built as a dedicated air superiority fighter. Most in-service F-16s don't have an AESA installed at all. The UAE's advanced F-16E slash FS have the APG-80AESA, which has excellent capability, but that's a tiny fleet of aircraft. U.S. Air Force F-16s are not currently fitted with an AESA and are at a severe disadvantage versus the Su-35 or other advanced flanker derivatives. The U.S. Air Force is keenly aware of the problem. The service had intended to retrofit 300 or so F-16s with an upgrade called the Combat Avionics Programmed Extension Suite, CAPES, but that program was canceled because of automatic budget cuts known as sequestration. Nonetheless, the Air Force knows it needs to urgently retrofit the F-16 fleet with new radars sooner rather than later. Earlier this year, the Air National Guard issued an urgent operational need statement calling for an AESA to be installed in their F-16s performing the homeland defense mission. The radars are needed to track cruise missiles and other small, hard-to-detect targets. The active Air Force is also aware of the problem and issued a request for information for a new radar for the F-16 fleet in March. That same month, Air Force Chief of Staff Mark Welsh told the House Armed Services Committee we need to develop an AESA upgrade plan for the entire fleet. The U.S. Air Force does not use the F-16 primarily as an air superiority fighter. The air-to-air mission is secondary. The AESA is needed to keep the venerable jet relevant. With an AESA, the F-16 could probably hold its own against the Su-35 at longer ranges, but it would still be a challenge. At shorter ranges, it comes down to pilot skill and the performance of each jet's high-off-boresight missiles. The advent of missiles like the R-73 and AIM-9X have turned visual range fights into mutually assured destruction scenarios. Mutual kills are not uncommon during training sorties. While the Su-35's thrust vectoring gives it an edge at very low speeds, mind you, low speeds mean a low energy state. It's not an insurmountable problem for an expert F-16 pilot who knows how to exploit his or her aircraft to the fullest to overcome. The bottom line is that the Su-35 and the other advanced flankers are extremely capable aircraft. The Pentagon's fourth-generation fighter fleet no longer enjoys a massive technological advantage as they did in years past. The United States must invest in next-generation fighters to replace the existing fleet as soon as possible. Despite the ups and downs of the security aid process to Ukraine, one thing can't be denied. In the end, Ukraine largely gets what it asks for. This has happened repeatedly since Russia invaded Ukraine almost a year ago. First, it was FGM-148 Javelin anti-tank missiles and FIM-92 Stinger anti-aircraft missiles. Then it was howitzers and self-propelled guns. Then it was the M-142 High Mobility Artillery Rocket System, HIMARS, and M-270 Multiple Launch Rocket System, MLRS. Then it was air defense systems. More recently, it was main battle tanks. Looking back, most of these weapon systems were a big no-no when the Ukrainians first asked for them but ended up being crucial on the ground once they were delivered, especially in the case of the M-142 HIMARS and M-270 MLRS, which have been game-changing and responsible to a large degree for the Ukrainian successes. Ukraine might get fighter jets in the end, but it looks like the usual start and stop process that characterizes security aid to the embattled nation won't make that happen quickly and efficiently. Thank you for tuning in to our video. You can click the like to support our TDTV global team and hit that subscribe button now for more great content. We'll catch you at the next one.