F-16s will remain 40 km from front line: Chief commander of Ukrainian Armed Forces
Illustrative photo (Getty Images)
American-made F-16 fighter jets that will be delivered to Ukraine will aid the Ukrainian Armed Forces. However, they have limitations on the front lines, according to the Commander-in-Chief of the Ukrainian Armed Forces, Oleksandr Syrskyi.
Syrskyi said that the F-16 will strengthen Ukraine’s air defense and allow Kyiv to act more effectively against Russian cruise missiles and accurately strike ground targets.
However, he emphasized that there are limits to the capabilities of the F-16. They will have to stay 40 km or more from the front line due to the risk of being shot down by Moscow.
F-16 aircraft
The arrival of F-16 aircraft in Ukraine has not yet been announced. US Secretary of State Antony Blinken said at the NATO summit in Washington in July that Lockheed Martin-made F-16s would fly in Ukrainian skies this summer. According to him, Denmark and the Netherlands have already begun transferring F-16 fighters to Ukraine.
President Zelenskyy said that Ukraine will receive several F-16 aircraft from Western countries, which will not be enough to fight on equal terms with Russian aviation. In his opinion, to create effective competition against Russia in the skies, Ukraine needs at least 128 F-16 fighters.
General James Hecker, Commander of the US Air Forces in Europe, said that the arrival of F-16 fighters in Ukraine will not be a panacea. According to him, Ukrainian pilots will not gain air superiority within just a few weeks.
