2023-08-22 11:39:00
Denmark and the Netherlands are the first countries to transfer F-16 aircraft to Ukraine. The American fighter could fulfill a wide range of missions.
By Clément Machecourt Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky and Danish Prime Minister Mette Frederiksen in the cockpit of an F-16 fighter at an air base near Copenhagen on August 21, 2023. © UKRAINIAN PRESIDENCY / ANADOLU AGENCY / Anadolu Agency via AFP Published on 08/22/2023 at 11:39 a.m.
“A powerful and very fruitful day. On Sunday August 20, Volodymyr Zelensky welcomed the decision of Denmark and the Netherlands to deliver F-16 fighter jets to Ukraine. An additional and logical step, after the announcement in July of these same countries to train Ukrainian pilots on the aircraft of American origin. The Ukrainian president spoke of 61 aircraft: 19 from Denmark, 42 from the Netherlands – a number not confirmed by the Dutch prime minister.
Multirole combat aircraft (fighter, bombing, reconnaissance), the F-16 was produced in more than 4,000 copies by General Dynamics (now Lockheed Martin). Enough to have a large number of spare parts. The F-16 can also fire a wide variety of missiles and bombs, giving Kyiv an extra edge against Moscow’s armed forces.
Train the pilots
“It’s an important technological leap for the Ukrainians”, points out Jean-Christophe Noël, associate researcher at the French Institute of International Relations (Ifri). A technological leap, certainly, but which cannot be achieved in a day. “To master the plane, the tactics, the procedures, they will have to repeat their ranges”, notes the former Air Force officer, who recalls that it takes four years to train a young pilot on F -16. “It is possible that Ukrainian pilots have already been discreetly trained”, however advances Léo Péria-Peigné, researcher in capability forecasting and conventional armament at Ifri.
READ ALSOWar in Ukraine: what the F-16 and Scalp missiles changeMore optimistic, Xavier Tytelman, aeronautics and defense consultant, considers possible a training reduced to four months for experienced pilots. “For example, they don’t need to learn aerial refueling,” he points out. In addition to the pilots, it will be necessary to train the personnel on the ground, that is to say ten people per aircraft. It is also necessary to build infrastructures capable of accommodating the F-16s, which are less rustic than the Soviet aircraft.
An aircraft “oriented towards the offensive”
Praised for its versatility, the F-16 could carry out all kinds of missions, “unlike the Mig-29s and Sukhoi SU-27s of the Ukrainian Air Force, which were originally intended for aerial combat”, explains Jean-Christophe Noel. “The F-16 can cover entire regions, protect the country’s infrastructure or intercept missiles or drones”, list Léo Péria-Peigné. Its true vocation will undoubtedly be turned towards the offensive, with the target of the Russian armed forces. Like the Himars multiple rocket launchers, the F-16s could strike deep into the Russian system – command centers, ammunition depots, troop concentration areas.
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“The version of the F-16 transferred by the Netherlands can fire Air-Air missiles with a range of 150 km, this will force the Russians to retreat their air force and in particular the bombers”, insists Xavier Tytelman. Another advantage is the aircraft’s ability to carry hovering guided bombs weighing approximately 110 kg. “These are Small-Diameter Bombs (SDBs), which the Ukrainians will be able to fire on ammunition depots that have already been identified, but which were too small to send a cruise missile like the Storm shadow there. In addition to armament, it can carry different pods, giving it additional capabilities in electronic warfare, intelligence, or moving target targeting on the ground.
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