Ukraine dwells on its optimism about its acquisition of the American “F-MLU” fighters, according to military experts, after describing the announcement by the Netherlands and Denmark to support them with a total of 42 fighters from their stocks, as “an important step and a strong motivation” for the success of its counterattack.
Although the commander of the NATO Air Forces, General James Hecker, said in an article in the newspaper “Military Watch”, that the “F-16” fighters will not start field work before 2027, their flight in the skies of Ukraine has become a realistic matter, which will put it in direct confrontation with Russian fighters, especially the Sukhoi-35.
Obstacle recruiting pilots
Kiev is racing against time to tip its balance in its counterattack, which it launched without air cover with these fighters, but it faces a new obstacle, which is the selection, testing and training of qualified soldiers, at a time when officials expect this to take from 6 to 8 months.
To this, Oleksiyi Danilov, head of the Ukrainian National Security and Defense Council, responded on Tuesday that Kiev is ready to recruit foreign pilots with experience to fly the F-16 fighters it receives from NATO countries during the coming period.
“The Times” newspaper quoted him as saying that “Kiev is ready to accept any experienced foreign pilots who do not serve in the armed forces of their country,” noting that Ukrainian legislation does not impede the acceptance of foreign pilots into the ranks of the Ukrainian forces.
As for Yuriy Agnat, a spokesman for the Ukrainian Air Force, he said that the new strategy includes possessing 128 aircraft to replace the old Ukrainian fleet, provided that the F-16, with 42 fighters, will go directly to the four air brigades on the front line, to deal with Russian weapons in particular. Su-35″.
What are the weaknesses and advantages of the F-16?
According to Military Watch, the F-16 fighter lacks:
• The capabilities of stealth and maneuvering make it weak compared to the “MiG-29” and “Su-27”, which are currently used by Ukraine.
• You will not benefit from the temporary runways for the planes, compared to the Soviet planes that were designed for that. Despite this, Washington says that the F-16s, similar to the Abrams tanks, will be decisive in the long term in the war, and among its advantages:
• It is called the “Fighting Falcon” or “The Snake”, and it has high offensive and defensive capabilities, whether with close air support or air surveillance.
• It is one of the most popular combat aircraft ever and is used in more than 25 countries around the world.
• The aircraft is light in weight and contains a highly accurate navigation system, and it has countermeasures that can be used to repel electronic threats.
• It has a maximum range of 4,220 km, and is capable of carrying about 6 missiles.
• It has great maneuverability and can locate targets in all weather conditions.
What about the Russian “Sukhoi-35”?
The expected presence of the “F-16” in the skies of Ukraine raises questions about its ability to match the Russian “Su-35” fourth-generation reinforced fighters that Russia is currently using extensively in the conflict, and what would the air battle between them look like, if it took place?
Dubbed the “Queen of Fighters”, the Su-35 is known for its high maneuverability, especially in tight turns, compared to the F-16.
• It has high air and tactical specifications, and has unparalleled maneuverability, which enables it to launch missiles from speeds and heights.
• It carries more advanced radar devices, and it is difficult to see it when it bombs its targets directly.
• Smart weapons are used against air and ground targets, and you can bomb them inside hostile areas.
• It flies at low altitude and has the ability to automate all phases of flight and combat use.
• Its air speed reaches 2,800 km/h at an altitude of 11 km, which is faster than the American F-35 stealth fighter.
What do experts say about the potential air battle?
Defense expert Sebastian Roblin told Sky News Arabia that, in addition to the logistical obstacles, there are other difficulties for the presence of the F-16 in the air battle against the Russian Sukhoi-35, represented by the Ukrainian side losing long-range radar coverage from Russian radars. Ground and air, which will force Ukrainian pilots to fly very low to avoid radars, which will limit their ability to spot Russian planes.
• On the other hand, the Russians will be able, through the Russian “A-50” early warning aircraft, to help the “Su-35” fighters locate the “F-16” to hunt them.
• If the F-16 is flying at a high altitude and operating its radars, it will be in danger because of the Russian missiles, “R77-1” and “R37”, which the “Su-35” can launch from a distance of 124 miles if linked to the “Irbis” radar – Oh, the strong.
As for the researcher in military affairs, Mina Adel, he told “Sky News Arabia” that the potential air battle between the two fighters, theoretically favors the “Su-35” fighters due to the air coverage, monitoring and targeting systems enhanced with jamming capabilities, electronic warfare and long-range missiles. It is due to several factors, most notably:
• The experience of Russian pilots, especially from the 23rd and 159th Air Brigade, because they have great combat experience in the conduct of air battles in Ukraine.
• The version provided by the “F-16-MLU” to Ukraine is European-developed and enhanced with major developments in terms of radar, armament and data links. Recently, it was coated with a material that reduces its radar signature, called “Half Glass” to make it difficult to detect.
• Its quality in engagement and air battles will depend on two factors, first: the success of the Ukrainian leadership in recruiting former F-16 pilots into the Foreign Legion to save time for training Ukrainian pilots, and second: the F-16 will provide access to reconnaissance and air information provided by the fleet NATO reconnaissance, which may create some rare opportunities to launch an air ambush against the Russian formations.
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2023-08-22 23:24:50
