Ukraine expects game-changing boost in war as F‑16s set to fly in - altering power equation against Russia
The pilot, codenamed "Hucul," has hands-on experience operating a Mi-8 helicopter daily. Reflecting back on the onset of the war, Hucul mentions the air superiority that the Russian forces have maintained, owing to their high-performing combat aircraft. However, he believes the advent of Western F-16s could pivot this situation, chiefly due to their capability to carry assorted weapons.
6:06 AM EST, December 14, 2023
"The power equation in the air, and, in turn, the direction of this war, could change with this. The F-16 serves as a modern aerial weaponry platform. It can house both air-to-air and air-to-ground missiles concurrently. It can neutralize ballistic missiles, maneuvering missiles, aircraft, helicopters, unmanned air vehicles, radars, ships etc. The arrival of the F-16 will enhance the safety operations of our other aircraft. High-accuracy weapons are essential to safeguarding our soldiers' lives," states Hucul.
With a standard length of about 49 feet, the F-16 houses a fundamental six-barrel M61 Vulcan 20 mm canon. More importantly, it is capable of holding a broader array of extra weaponry than its Soviet counterparts. For instance, it is compatible with rockets such as the AIM-9 Sidewinder, AIM-120 AMRAAM, AGM-88 HARM, AGM-65 Maverick, anti-ship AGM-84D Harpoon, and the Penguin. Additionally, it can accommodate the CBU-87, CBU-89, GBU-10, GBU-12, Paveway, or JDAM bombs.
"Hucul" anticipates that the introduction of F-16s will pressurize Russian planes to operate beyond Ukraine, and simultaneously cause extensive damage to the ships of the Black Sea Fleet.
The F-16 is the world's highest-ranking combat aircraft. This multi-role fighter can accelerate up to Mach 2 (over 1304 mph) and operate at altitudes up to 49,212 feet. Furthermore, it has an impressive range of 1988 miles, which can be extended with additional fuel tanks.
During the NATO summit held in Vilnius, a coalition of countries, that are the biggest proponents of allocating F-16 fighters to Ukraine, was formed. It was mutually agreed that the training center for pilots and technical staff would be in Romania.
In the following weeks, several countries expressed willingness to transport their fighters to the front lines. Denmark and the Netherlands were the first to make these commitments, followed by Belgium. Consequently, Kyiv has secured a commitment to deliver several dozen F-16s.
