Ukraine's F‑16s face uphill battle against advanced Russian jets
Ukrainian aviation expert Valeriy Romanenko believes that Ukrainian F-16s are inferior to the modern aircraft used by Russia. As a result, they cannot engage in equal combat.
So far, Ukraine has lost two F-16 aircraft. One may have fallen victim to friendly fire from a Patriot system. The circumstances surrounding the second are under investigation, although BBC reports suggest it was shot down by a Russian missile from either the S-400 ground system or an R-37 air-to-air missile.
Problems with Ukrainian F-16s
In the initial weeks on the front, F-16 fighters mainly carried out tasks behind the front lines, where they supported Ukrainian air defense. Over time, their pilots began to act more boldly, and photos published on social media suggested their involvement in strike missions.
Valeriy Romanenko believes that direct aerial combat with modern Russian aircraft (e.g., Su-35) should not occur because Ukrainian F-16s will not be able to fight on equal terms. According to the expert, this is mainly due to the radars and missiles, whose range does not match the distances at which air battles are currently fought. The most valuable armament of the Ukrainian F-16s is the AIM-120 AMRAAM missiles with a range of about 62 miles. Some Russian fighters can be armed with air-to-air missiles with a range of even hundreds of miles, such as the R-37M, which can reach targets 249 miles away.
"Now battles are not fought at close range. Now, airplanes are dispersed over large distances," said Romanenko.
F-16s for Ukraine from the West
F-16s are making their way to the front thanks to the efforts of the so-called aviation coalition, which aims to strengthen Ukraine with this type of fighter. Withdrawn from service, F-16s are being transferred to the Ukrainian Air Force by Denmark and the Netherlands. Belgium has also committed to doing the same, but the transfer has been delayed.
These are F-16A/B variants with MLU (Mid-Life Update) modernization. They are 1990s aircraft with certain improvements, including upgraded radars, a modified cockpit, and adaptation for carrying a wider range of armaments. Standard features still include the M61 Vulcan six-barreled cannon, caliber 0.8 inches, a top speed of approximately 1,367 mph, and an operational ceiling of up to 49,213 feet.
Besides the limited range of radars and missiles, experts point out that the transferred fighters lack the Link-16 communication system, which poses additional challenges for their deployment in Ukraine.
