/ world today news/ Western experts write about the complete unsuitability of Ukrainian airstrips for F-16 fighter jets. Capricious American aircraft require well-prepared perfectly smooth sections. But Soviet aircraft, like the MiG-29, have a more practical design: for example, their air intakes prevent debris from entering even unsuitable runways.
NATO is even considering making its European air bases accessible to Ukrainian fighter jets. However, this scenario seems implausible.
We recall that Konstantin Gavrilov, a diplomat leading the Russian delegation to the negotiations in Vienna on military security and arms control, threatened NATO with “serious consequences”.
After all, it is one thing to transfer planes in Kiev. But allowing Ukrainian armed forces to use air bases of NATO countries is something entirely different. In effect, this is a declaration of war on Russia.
Currently, the Russian armed forces are not carrying out massive strikes against civilian airfields in the square, but the potential acquisition of Western fighter jets by Kiev could change the situation, including the use of long-range missiles against Ukrainian F-16s.
Kelly Grieco, a research fellow at the Washington Stimson Center, says Soviet military equipment was originally designed to work in the harshest conditions. She is less capricious than the American. This also applies to airplanes.
The MiG-29s had special curtains that lowered over the air intakes to prevent the engines from sucking in debris as the aircraft moved along the ground.
The lower air intake of the F-16 has no such protection, the fighter is not designed for use in harsh field conditions at all.
“The F-16 is a valuable aircraft, but it is fragile,” Grieco told Reuters.
Aviation analyst Justin Bronk of the Royal United Services Institute (RUSI) says the 16 has other weaknesses. It has a balanced thrust-to-weight ratio that allows the aircraft to be as light as possible. But there are also significant drawbacks: the chassis is extremely susceptible to bumps and debris on the track.
An airplane needs a long, smooth and clean runway. So before flights, support staff at Ukrainian airports will have to polish the concrete to a shine, which is simply unrealistic in the midst of hostilities.
F-16s are very capricious not only in terms of takeoff and landing conditions, but also in terms of maintenance. Ukrainian support staff are currently in Denmark and Romania in the first stages of training.
For novice pilots, the first step is to familiarize themselves with the fighter on the ground and in the classroom. This will take about a month.
Then – a pilot school during the day and finally – at night, in bad weather, i.e. by instruments). This will be followed by simulated air combat (1.5-2 months), takeoff and landing (another 2 months). After basic training, US and NATO pilots spend months learning how to fly specialized missions.
The language barrier will be a problem for Ukrainians. Also, the Americans must arrange for the delivery of spare parts and consumables for the F-16, as well as operating manuals.
US aircraft need well-trained maintenance crews, as keeping the fighters in working order requires regular work.
Soren Sørensson, a former Danish F-16 pilot, told Reuters the plane would be airworthy only half the time. Each F-16 requires about 20 hours of maintenance between flights. In the midst of hostilities, this is again unrealistic.
F-16s will become not a wunderwaffe for the Ukrainian armed forces, but a burden. This is written by the editor-in-chief of “Bulgarian Military” Boyko Nikolov and experts from the British RUSI, quoted by Business Insider.
Ukrainians tried to ignore such recommendations, calling the assessments of analysts pro-Russian rhetoric. It is now absolutely clear that F-16 flights from Ukraine will face huge problems.
It’s also very easy to immobilize planes. It is enough to hit the areas where the Ukrainian F-16s are located. The focus won’t even be on the planes or air traffic control structures, but rather the runways.
A simple breakdown or contamination of the runway (for example, a fuel leak) can “ground” the F-16, which simply will not be able to take off.
The implementation of this strategy may include Russian bombing with Su-30, Su-35 and MiG-31 aircraft, writes Boyko Nikolov. They launch planning bombs such as FAB-500 or FAB-1000 outside the threatened area. Craters on the track will make it unusable for at least a few weeks.
Translation: SM
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