Ukraine can use no more than 10 F-16s this year due to pilot shortage - NYT
Illustrative photo (Getty Images)
Ukraine hopes to use F-16s in combat as early as this year, but due to a lack of trained personnel, it will be able to deploy no more than ten fighters, The New York Times reports.
Ukraine plans to use F-16s with powerful electronic warfare systems and a variety of weapons along with Western air defense systems such as Patriot to expand the danger zone for Russian pilots. These aircraft will also strengthen the defense of Ukrainian cities and critical infrastructure against missile and drone attacks.
“Russia has had so much time to fortify its defenses, especially along the frontline areas. The F-16s and their pilots will face stiff resistance from Russian air defenses, both on the ground and in the sky,” says Hunter Stoll, a defense analyst at the RAND Research Organization.
US officials said they plan to train about 20 pilots this year. The training is taking place in the United States, the Netherlands, and Denmark.
Air Force commanders say that usually at least two pilots are allocated to one aircraft for rest and training. Therefore, only about 10 F-16s provided to Ukraine will be able to fly combat missions. Another limiting factor is the lack of trained technicians to maintain the fighters.
Aviation Coalition
Last year, an aviation coalition was established within which the Netherlands and Denmark will provide Ukraine with F-16 fighters. Initially, it was planned that the planes would appear in Ukrainian airspace in the summer of 2024, but there is no official information about the transfer yet.
Read more about when the F-16s will arrive in Ukraine and their impact on the frontline in RBC-Ukraine's article.
