The other main issue with the F-16 is that it is already fully integrated with the full set of NATO air launched and stand-off weapons, even a few will massively increase the available stocks of munitions NATO can deliver and Ukraine can use.
The UA international legion is accepting applications for pilots , weapon system operators, and maintainers; there likely will be prior trained pilots who will help fill in
What is ont mentioned, really anywhere not just this video, is that there are no realistic places left for Ukraine to source Soviet style planes. So long term they absolutely need to switch over to western planes. So yes the uptake is in all likelihood going to be painfully slow. But in the long term it guarantees that Ukraine will still have an air force at all.
NATO hardware in Ukrainian military is inevitable. After this war ends, probably middle of next year at the latest, Ukraine will continue arming with older NATO hardware. People think the F-16s are going to be combat units but that's nonsense. They'll be training cadres, to teach the next generation of Ukrainian pilots over the next decade, so they'll be able to fight with NATO hardware in the next war. At most, under extremely accelerated training regimes, with foreign ground crews, you might see a few of these F-16s flying far from the front, on patrol near Belarus, getting some flight hours but never seeing combat before the war ends.
if you are on the side talking about transitioning and rebuilding, and changing your military while the other side is solely talking about where you might be and where they need to strike with their next missile, the war is lost
The transition is inevitable, but it won't really happen until after the war. The F-16s are for a training cadre to learn, and they'll teach others after the war ends.
Many people in the comments make comparisons of the older F16s against modern russian fighters. Keep in mind that A2A is likely not going to be the main role for these F16s. What F16 or F18 allows is the easy supply of modern western Precision guided munitions in ample stocks. Think stormshadow, but also JDAM-ER, SDM and most imporantly modern versions of AGM88 HARM, ADM160 MALD, and Harpoon AShMs. These are platforms which open up a significant amount of strike potential, which russian logistics will have to deal with and adapt to.
@Hunter&Gatherer I really dont understand how you come to this conclusion. NLAW and Javelin have claimed hundreds of vehicle kills and helped stop the armored advances of the russian army towards Kyiv. HIMARS GMLRS blew up 10 ammo depots in the span of 3 days and permanently moved ammo depots further from the front. Thus decreasing russian logistics efficiency. Air defense like Stingers, Gepards, NASAMs, Patriot have all proven vital in taking down aircraft, drones and missiles and thus protecting vital infrastructure. M777 Krab PzH2000 Ceasar have kept Ukranian artillery in the fight. We even saw lightning fast attacks during the Kharkiv counteroffensive using Humvees. All these systems have had meaningful impact in keeping Ukraine in the fight against the Russian invaders and every system brings Ukraine closer to pushing them out completely. They arent "wonderweapons", but definitely help Ukraine fight for their freedom.
One political outcome of the supply of F16 to Ukraine may be the commitment to the training timeline being interpreted as a political/diplomatic signal that military support will continue to be committed for the long term by Ukraine's allies & adversaries.
I wouldn't be suprised if Poland makes a trick from soviet's book* and starts flying it's F-16 in ukrainian camo. *refering to how Russians were flying for north korean's in planes using korean markings and never officially acknowledging that Russian pilots joined that war.
Maybe, but it would be a lot harder than it was for the Soviets back in Korea and Vietnam, because the highly contested airspace and the constant threat from air defense systems of both sides means that you need a lot of communication and coordination between aircraft, ground control and air defense assets, to prevent friendly fire accidents. Those Russian pilots in Korea didn't really need to speak Korean because they didn't need to communicate with Korean pilots or ground based assets. Polish pilots operating as part of the Ukrainian air force would need to speak Ukrainian or at least Russian, or the Ukrainians would need to speak English.
Poland hasn't got any pilots to spare for their own airspace. Why do people think that any polish soldier will die on ukrainian soil just for the sake of defending these people? Giving them money and equipment is enough. Most of people in Poland are supportive of Ukraine, but only a fraction of a percent are willing to die for them.
Might be a mix of F-16s, legacy Hornets, and Mirage 2000 from different sources and in slightly different configurations. This is a good start at low cost to transition to NATO compatible systems. Eventually Ukraine should place new fighter aircraft on order, for deliveries within a few years. These can gradually phase out the older aircraft until they become the total force, with the older aircraft placed into reserve. Some options for new aircraft could include block 3 F-18 Super Hornet, F-15EX Eagle II, F-16 block 70, Rafale F4, Gripen E/F, and Typhoon. Stealth aircraft are probably off the table for now.
The USA can probably offer more generous financing terms than European countries. US lend lease has already been approved for Ukraine and this could potentially be used for new fighter acquisitions, providing aircraft for free temporarily or with very low interest loans for permanent transfers. While European countries have some good aircraft available, I think the financial portion will give preference to US aircraft. Of the 3 aircraft mentioned above, a 50/50 mix of F-15EX and block 3 Super Hornet might be most useful. F-15EX can replace Su-27 and Su-24 and be based in Western and central Ukraine. Block 3 Super Hornets can replace MiG-29 and Su-25 and be based in Eastern and Southern Ukraine. The Super Hornets as naval fighters with reinforced airframes and heavy gear and side intakes are well suited for dispersed operations from rough, austere, or damaged airstrips. F-15EX have long range, powerful radars, and large weapons capacity that provide potent beyond visual range combat capabilities against targets in the air or on the ground.
I don't think Ukraine will get Rafales during this war. Perhaps if they survive they will get them after. I don't think they will get eurofighters either. Gripen is a maybe
@@hemendraravi4787 During the war no. But if they survive it which is likely in some degree then since they won't get into nato they will at least try to have a very good nato like army. I can see them getting 4,5 gen jets after the war just not during it
Well yeah what else would you expect? The predatory parasitic military industrial complex wants this war prolonged for as long as possible to enrich themselves at the expense of many European lives.
@@ShitboxFlyer Oh, I'm sorry, does Russia have a global scale MIC to feed and nearly a thousand military bases in FOREIGN countries the world over that no one has noticed? No? Exactly...
@@sabercooler5024 Then you really must not be paying attention. Where do you think all those weapons routed from Europe originally came from? The U.S. MIC. Who do you think will be responsible for/profiting off of Europe spending the next decade or so rearming their now critically short equipment levels? The U.S. MIC...
I've heard similar things about SAMs, tanks and everything else - Ukrainian won't be able to operate them, maintain, etc. Also it's quite funny to hear the comparison with Russian jets, dog fights and etc. Those planes will be used as a launching platform for HARM-88, JDAMs, AGM-65s and possibly cruise missiles
It's all a pony show put on by our incompetent politicians as false publicity to show they're doing everything they can. In reality, they have no game.
In WWII, the UK (with a similar population then as Ukraine has currently) had 9,000 pilots to operate 6,000 planes within a year of the war starting. Modern planes are better performance and have more complex weapon systems, but are not intrinsically harder to learn to fly. My dad started out learning to fly Venoms in the RAF shortly after WWII ended, then became a commercial jet pilot for BOAC before moving to Qantas (and later Singapore Airlines). I would imagine that more than one cohort of pilots would be in training at the same time. eg. 20 start this month (the most experienced ones), then another 10-20 start next month, and so on. After a few months the new cohorts starting training would be inexperienced, so would need 12+ months, but there could easily be 60 pilots at various stages of training within 6-12 months, and a new group of 20+ graduating every month after a year or so. ps. Australia is currently thinking about donating 40 or so F/A-18s to Ukraine that recently retired from active service. I would guess that Ukraine might have a few experience pilots (eg the first 20) retrained to operate F-16s by the end of 2023, and 10-15 or so F-16s might be in operation by Ukraine by the start of 2023. Initially they will probably be used well back from the front lines to launch Storm Shadow missiles and clock up flying hours and combat training exercises. But I wouldn't be surprised if there were more than 100 pilots and 60+ western fighter gets operating in the Ukraine Air Force by the end of 2024. There will probably be a *lot* more Ukraine air defence systems covering any remaining occupied territory by the end of 2023 also, which will make it less hazardous for Ukraine pilots to operate within Ukraine air space. ps. By 2026 Ukraine may be in the process of joining NATO, and the Russian war reparations being used to pay for the revamped Ukraine Air Force. So there could be NATO fighter jets and pilots stationed in Ukraine once Russia has signed a peace treaty.
Korean war was a proxy war for both sides junior. This war is proxy only for USA. Russia is fighting for its territory right now When the talibans were the good freedom fighters and fought against USSR, they were trained and led by the US green barrettes.
@@user-ju2tn4pj5y "Russia is fighting for its territory right now" Wrong, ruSSia is fighting to keep illegally annexed Ukrainian lands, if they don't like the odds they are welcome to withdraw.
@@apveening those lands were always been Russian, they were given to the so called Ukraine by the communists. Before Russia those lands belonged to the Bulgars, khazars, Kievan Rus, the Tatars and the Ottomans. There live Russians who want to be part of Russia.
@@user-ju2tn4pj5y Being the largest country on the planet you would think russia could have made room for the Ukrainians who wanted to be russian. What russia thinks belongs to them means nothing.
You neatly skip over the very large amount of necessary risk they'd have to take. That goal cannot be reached before attrition removes their ability to reach it.
At risk if hugely oversimplifying war, maybe they can turtle up and only use their f16s in ambushes or as air artillery until they can bolster their numbers?
These are old f16s being sent with older avionics. They are much if at all of a step up from soviet aircraft. The difference is the compatability with western arms and their avaliability in western countries.
Got to get rid of those old stockpiles, so our European allies can get F-35 replacements at discounted price. Lockheed Martin will definitely make a killing profit. Your tax money ar work.
10:51 the long term-ness does not really matter. Ukraine will stay where it is: next door to Russia. They will need those F-16s even if the war somehow ended yesterday.
That's what they're for, the post-war training cadre, as Ukraine modernizes by switching over to NATO hardware from their old Soviet crap. These F-16s will never be ready for combat sorties before the war ends.
No, just like Leopards they might win on engagements but they are susceptible, tanks are susceptible to artillery and jets are susceptible to anti-aircraft.
Easier to get those F-16s and have them flown by retired F-16 pilots from across the world... Turkey and Pakistan has them in abundance and these two countries are unlikely to block their pilot's participation on the Ukraine side unlike many other F-16 operators
@@cat_city2009well honestly most of us don't care about a traitors politics. Left winger rooting for the enemy right winger doesn't really matter the whole rooting for the enemy thing is the important part.
Adding to that conclusion, there will be a need for pilots for an air force, even if the war ends this year.And if the war doesn't end,, there will really really be a need for pilots. Whatever the case might be,, there will be a need for new or re-trained pilots. I think it might be smart to keep a few old pilots around to man whatever soviet era planes they have left, and try to mostly train fresh pilots. That way they have something to fall back on if the F-16's (or other planes) doesn't work out for whatever reason. But eventually they will have to build a modern air force anyway. They don't really have any choice, they have to do this anyway. [just a random internet squeak]
F18 Can carry 1000 lbs more than the F16.. only one engine to maintain on the F-16, it also has a better thrust-to-weight ratio than the F18, and can make tighter turns. Correct about the air strips required though.
any pmc or voluteer that’ll step up will really make the difference with the usage of the f16s Not just former f16 pilots volunteering but also former NATO maintainers that have experience working on them. It’s going to be hard on ukrainian pilots to be good with the f16, but also hard on ukrainian maintainers as well and people forget that.
Set the salaries to $5 million/year for experienced pilots, and I'm guessing plenty will apply. That's still nothing compared to the cost of operating the planes during wartime. Make them fly primarily over friendly territory, and the number of POW embarrasments will be kept to a minimum. Recruiting foreign ground crews is even simpler, as they can stay far away from the front lines. Add 20-50 Ukrainian nationals to do the PR, and create the impression that most missions are flown by them.
Ya no doubt ukrine won't have 100 f16 at same time. They might have 100 planes at same time, but not 1 plane type. Imo UA will have 45 planes max of the same plane. Anymore they don't have the pilots or the mechanic's parts for anymore. You need airport's and ground support for a modern jets. Even ww2 needed "modern" supplies and support.
The only plane they could have 100+ off would be the Swedish Gripen and they're literally isn't enough gripens built for ukrine to have 100+ of them. F16 needs a legit runway, or a long highway, gripen just needs a 100+ft flat road and simple repair. F16 need trained mechanics and long and flat runway without trash so roads are 50/50 of usable.
Probably going to a lot more than 100 after Russia blew up that dam. Man, people are pissed about that one. People who I've never heard mention the war are outraged.
I think that pilots started training somewhere last year. There were multiple visits by UA pilots to the US, and at that point in time - there was no reason to do it. So likely they started going through some evaluation and training 6-10 months back.
The latest news is that they might receive fa 18 hornets from australia that are currently sitting in storage as they are no longer needed and being replaced by f35's.. these planes have the latest a++ standard
Canada's planning to replace it's CF-18s too, tho I'm not sure when we're slated to start receiving F-35s; if Australia does donate it's F-18s hopefully arrangements can be made to make Canadian F-18s available too. Assuming enough F-16s can't be found, anyway; streamlining the training and logistics as much as practical is important, so standardising on one western plane would be ideal, if enough can be found(which I should hope can be, given the F-16 is being replaced in a lot of countries, but militaries and governments tend not to be keen on a gap, and to be fair pilot skill is highly perishable AIUI).
Current discussion is around 41 ex-RAAF F/A 18s. Australia could also be useful as a training location given its climate allows all-year flying and the airspace is a lot less congested compared to Europe. Basic flying training moved from being under a contract for 4G training with BAE Systems at Tamworth to in-house 5G RAAF training at East Sale in 2019. The Tamworth facilities are only suitable for 4G standard basic flying training but they are still there and could be restarted if training aircraft could be found and ex-instructors enticed back.
@@grahambaker6664the old BAE Tamworth location and airspace could easily be transitioned to full 5G training… but as you said, need to entice suitable instructors back, though I doubt this would be all that difficult.
@@whiteshadow_001 There are airspace issues around Tamworth that limit its suitability for 5G level training primarily because the higher speed of 5G level trainers, like the PC-21, require more room and height than the old CT4B and Tamworth sits under major airways intersections. Also, there would need to be additional buildings and possibly power upgrades for the additional simulators needed for 5G training. However, nobody has proposed giving Ukraine F-35s so training Ukrainians to fly 4G aircraft to NATO standards would be fairly easy particularly if the old RAAF training manuals can be updated and the facilities recommissioned.
The short term answer is contract pilots with F16 experience, also contractor servicing. Place the support/servicing base in a Nato country. As for the US? There are airframes in "the boneyard", hundreds, so there is no excuse or reason for the US to expect European countries to supply aircraft. If Putin et al object? He has already used contract soldiers, so that argument will not wash. Dangle enough money in front of western noses and? Personnel will flock to offer their services. Biden and his administration seem to want a long term proxy war. Give those guys the equipment they need to get the job done and finished.
Not to mention that the USAF is transitioning from F-16C/D's to F-35A's at about 30-38 F-35A/a year or 1 squadron every 8 months. This would release 24 planes plus some spare aircraft every 8 months
pretty certain most air forces don't have 100 fighters available to use at all times, fighters have certain limitations that mean you can only field s certain number, they need fuel but that means you will have less fuel available for helicopters and other aircraft like transport and surveillance and ground attack aircraft, also they require pilots but if you have to many fighters you will not have enough pilots for other aircraft.
I have a solution: Giving some American pilots Ukrainian citizenship. And the US could pay them "illegally". Then, technically no foreign soldiers would help Ukraine.
@@linoleumshake No, it's more the USA army is fighting against Russia, but with extra steps. Oh, and obviously, Russia is using mercenaries as a significant force.
If they allowed western Pilots to fly for Uklraine there would be a line out the door, its pretty much the only chance for most to ever see real combat.
Do you have any idea how different jets are from each other? The world's greatest F-16 pilot wouldn't be able to start the engines of a Flanker, let alone use its weapon systems in combat. This isn't WW2.
@@robstone9628 - If you haven't noticed, Ukraine asked the rest of the world to die in a nuclear war to protect their president, and we said no. If we really wanted to help Ukraine - we'd send them our latest equipment. This isn't about Ukraine winning - they're expendable and were always going to lose. This is about weakening Russia for the benefit of America.
@@mustang5132hat’s true, but there are just so many F16’s that they are probably easier to keep operational than the Hornets. Ideally Ukraine gets both the Hornets and the Vipers. There’s no time to be picky when needs must.
@@pieter-bashoogsteen2283 there’s honestly enough legacy F-18s to fill this role. Finland and Canada are retiring them now for the F-35. The US has retired almost all of them in switches to the super hornet or f-35 B/C. When it comes to getting maybe 60-100 F-16AM types or 50-80 F-18s, I think the F-18s serve their purpose better. In Finland, they are trained to be used in the way Ukraine will need to operate them. The best would just be to give them all of these options but finding enough pilots for both will be difficult. The more modern radars on the F-18s from Australia and Finland will also perform better than many of the older ones in F-16s in Europe. Modern F-16s (block 50 and above) would be fantastic but no one is offering those and they would still be more difficult to use in limited airfield scenarios like in Ukraine
Even though these countries own the F-18 they need US permissions to send/ sell them. This is as dead in the water as it can get. Twice the engine, twice the maintenance, twice the cost. Ukraines lucky to get the 16 and even with them they won’t get all the toys they come with.
@@mustang5132 Canada and Finland won’t receive their F35’s for a number of years and the US hasn’t come out (yet) and said they would give Ukraine some of their own 4th generation fighters in storage. Most of the aircraft which are available right now are F16’s mlu (block 32 I think) from the Netherlands and Denmark, some from Norway maybe and those Hornets from Australia. That would be some 30-50 F16’s depending on how generous us Dutch (since my country is the primary donor) are and 42 Hornets. All in all I think a decent start for the Ukrainian air force.
Zelensky just said yesterday "Ukraine will recieve a 'SIGNIFICANT number' of fighters". Talked about how he usually has to twist arms, but in this case the west wasnt nickle & diming them.
He lies all the time, why would you believe him? There's no practical way Ukraine can use F-16s in combat missions within 2 years. The war will be over by then. He's talking about a post-war conversion to NATO hardware after a negotiated peace next year at the latest.
The best they can hope for is they'll get a training cadre established far behind the lines after a couple years, and they will train a new air force on NATO hardware after the war is over, so they can be better equipped in the next war.
@@pogo1140 He is a wild weasel pilot. They are trained to hunt for AA.. Talking about the usual F 16 pilots. Working in that AA environment aint gonna be fun at all
@@user-ju2tn4pj5y This is the guy who flew 100ft over an Iraqi Republican Guard Mechanized column, turned around and raked it with 20mm before heading home.
Australia sold off their F/A-18's in 2021, some to a Canada for spare parts and the rest to the USA who store them in a hanger in Guam for back up pending a war with China.
This seems like fixable problems. Lets say that the planes gets most maintenance in a friendly Nato country. Is there actually any reason why they couldnt just have part of the planes stationed outside Ukraine, serviced by non-ukranians and fly into Ukraine as needed? The russians have been doing that from belarus and given what I have seen so far It doesnt look like the poles, slovakians or romanians would mind. I also dont get why there couldnt be an interpreter with the pilots/crew at all times if the english language is the problem.
I am sure this training and equipment transfers are much further along than from when we are finding out about this stuff. You shouldn't show your cards until you have to.
@@georgethompson913 How so the battle only involved 60K Russians and 80K Ukranians. Which despite constantly losing ground and hundreds of thousands of soldiers and with Ukraine already in Moscow the Prisoners armed with only shovels took Bakhmut. Says more about Ukraine's inability to win than anything else
24-36 combat-ready examples is probably all they’re gonna get, because that’s all that aren’t spoken for. Plenty more airframes available for parts though.
Excellent analysis Commissar as always. I would imagine Ukraine can get the initial batch of Vipers and pilots in the air in safer rearward areas and let the MiG-29s and Su-27s continue to operate in the forward staging areas. Fulcrum and Flankers freed up from Western Ukraine would help. I would like to see if the Ukrainians are allowed to modify their Fulcrums and Flankers to fire AIM-120s even older AIM-120As would be helpful. Meanwhile, the Ukrainians need to select people for training at all levels, pilots, maintainers, Field Operations, etc. The Viper and Bug do require high tech support but ask the Marines,Aussies,Norwegians and Swiss about operating F-16s and F-18s from roads and Marine Expeditionary Fields. The Ukrainians need to be studying NATO weapons, tactics and employment right now onwards. Great video!! Slava Ukraini!!
portugal already said it won't be sending any F-16. that was NEVER EVER on the table. no one talked in favour of it. quite the opposite. they did said they will train pilots. don't know why you said such bs.
@@calvinlee1813 At the beginning of the war, the right circumstances for suitable improvised airfields in Ukraine didn't seem overly plausible but now, with a year of Russia demonstrating its ineffective strike capabilities, it seems almost inevitable.
They should have started training thousands of pilots and mechanics over a year ago. They’d be ready by now, and they’d be able to send the best of the best and keep training the rest.
Maybe not 100 F16’s, but is that a real problem though? Reportedly the Australian government is considering sending its 42 Hornets which it doesn’t use anymore to Ukraine with the US in support.
That and Finland, Canada, and Spain have older hornets slated for replacement and that doesn't even mention the part stocks of the USMC and USN. Overall its feasible to send 36-42 F-16A/B Blk 20 MLU this year if everyone pulls their weight, and up to 100 Hornets next year
If the West and Ukraine really wants to find the pilots necessary for Ukraine to operate a sizable air force, they can. Time will tell how the plans progress.
@@tetraxis3011 Accidents happen even with new airframes but I do agree they are old. All that said if they still have 1000+ hours on their airframe they are worth sending to the US for a refurbishment and then to Ukraine. The same is true for the fleets of Canada, Finland, Australia, and the Legacy hornets of the USMC and USN. In most cases these are F/A-18-A/B models and some older block F/A-18C/D models. All are 1980s or early 1990s vintage. At the same time the F-16 fleets being considered from Europe are just as old if not older. In the hands of capable pilots and with the right maintenance and upgrades they are still lethal machines.
The Su-35 have one of the most top notch non western radar, even if they're PESA type, the Irbis-E is too fcking powerful that it can detect aircraft with RCS of 3m² at 350km, adding also they have AWACS in the air that provides them information with data link and S-400 in the ground and carrying the hypersonic R-37M missile, by the moment those F-16 track one Su-35, probably those Flankers already launched before the R-37M and leaving a small window of time for the F-16 to avoid them, so I don't think those AMRAAMS would be enough imo.
I agree with one exception. Like we have seen in the past the motivation of ukrainian soldiers to learn new things is absolutely amazing. Even pecimistic US estimates about F16 training times drastically went down lately. If there is one thing Ukraine can do it is to train many pilots and crews in a very short period of time with exceptional results. Look what they have done with other very complex systems in the past. They used Patriot in ways even the US thought isn't possible. I guess the difference between normal soldiers and ukrainians lies in the fact they don't do it for money or fun, but for their country and families.
I just saw a video explaining that US pilots have around 200 hour of training every year. Ofc, they already know the plain inside out but still 200 hours isn't super creazy
@@pogo1140 Indeed. For ukrainians are outnumbered 1 to 4 so the only way to win in the long term is by tech supremicy, even if the jets arrive after the war, a strong airforce is a good deterrant to keep Russija from refusing to sign peace or breaing it for round 2.
Old F/A-18s would be a much better choice as they are can more easily operate from austere forward locations, something Finland does with theirs. There are also many available as the US, Canada, Australia, and others upgrade to Super Hornets and F-35s.
It really surprises me how much extra training is needed just to switch from Russian to American jets. I would have thought it would be a lot easier than that.
One of the issues is that if Ukraine gets F-16, it will be older F-16A, not the newest F-16C generation. Jets from the 80s are very complicated to fly because of stuff like logarithmic radar displays. On modern jets you see those radar screens that just show you where a target is relative to your own position and how high or or fast it flies is shown by how long a arrow symbol is that symbolizes the target. It is pretty easy and intuitive. Old radar displays from the 80s don't work like that. They are complicated translations of radar telemetry and they have many different modes they operate in, each mode changing what you see on the screen. It can be pretty complicated just to interpret the stuff those old radar displays show you. There is a very realistic simulation game called DCS (Digital Combat Simulator) where they have accurately modeled a bunch of combat aircraft in great detail. There are CZcams channels that make tutorial videos on how to fly the aircraft. If you want to know what I am talking about, you should look up a tutorial video on using the radar on the F-15A, which is from the same generation as the F-16A. Having to know that stuff is hard enough, but having to know how to do everything and how to make quick calculations in your head while being under great stress is of course much harder. In the game you can press a Pause button, in reality not.
Even if it takes over a year to set up a fleet of western fighter jets in Ukraine that is a deterrent that helps push Russia to give up. If such a fleet is being built then Russia cannot win by prolonging the war and hoping Ukraine will run out of support. Nor can they hope to rebuild their military and try again since Ukraine will have an even bigger advantage then.
Ukraine needs a squandron of 28 planes for the first round of F16s, with that they can do Harm's missiles against Russia's Sam systems. Once those are interrupted, Ukraine can start attacking ground forces of Russia with glide bombs, thereby getting the full force of combined armed assualt!
First off, the Greeks WILL NOT just give their F-16 Charlies over to Ukraine. That’s delusional, not unless they get a VERY good ROI. Second, the Canadians can train the Ukrainian pilots. They had no problem training Chinese pilots. Canada should be forced to make up for that terrible sin.
@@johnladuke6475 we’ve got the trainers. We’ve got lead in fighter training and already train NATO pilots up to type conversion. The F-16s the Ukrainians would be getting are the same age, if not older than our F-18s. Try again.
They will never fly combat missions in Ukraine. They are for a post-war training cadre, only, when post-war Ukraine converts over to NATO hardware to a larger degree in the late 2020s.
US is not sending any of its F-16s but will allow other countries to send F-16s. Non western nations have about 150 F-16A and 1100 F-16C. Poland has 36 F-16C, Denmark has 33 F-16s, Netherlands is selling its 24 F-16s to someone else already, Belgium has 44 older F-16s, Greece F-16 fleet is currently going through its modernization upgrades. Australia is trying to get US approval in order to transfer F-18s. Ukraine should be seeking to train with some US wild weasel pilots.
Two points (at least) this video misses: 1) Ukrainian civilian aircraft pilots (e.g. Boeing/Airbus) are currently twiddling their thumbs because Ukrainian airspace is closed. Train them. 2) The Ukrainian pilots already have a scheme for speeding up training: specialization. One group will train exclusively for ground attack, one exclusively for air-to-air combat and another group exclusively for anti-radar and reconnaissance missions. That will speed everything up. 3) Ukraine is seeking 40-60 F-16's initially. I'm personally against having foreigners fly for Ukraine. They should train Ukrainians exclusively.
Flying an airbus and flying a F-16 is not close to the same type of experience. Training them would still take years and as far as I know I do not think ukrainians pull off high g manuvers in a civilian aircraft. Sometimes its good to understand how the real world works instead of some fantasy world. Aircrafts specifically will take a long time we can not get around that fact. Building up the logistic network necessary for operating that number of equipment will take time. If we are going to help ukraine its important to understand the real situation and start to fix the problems one by one. The best way though poland and hungary is extremly against it is for a single european army so we can standardize our equimpent. Then build up the logistic network to supply ukraine with those standardized weapons, that way they only need to train on one system and the logistic line is much shorter since you do not need to transport equipment over the atlantic ocean. Its the infrastructure that needs to be built up instead of this idea of send weapons system without training or munition policy. The infrastructure needs to be build up before they should get the different weapons system otherwise it becomes a meat-grinder. Though human stupidity always wins so I would bet we would do the irrational and stupid decision by sending pilots to their death by not giving them the proper training necessary to survive the battlefield. It will take time to train them and do not train them there will be a higher casualty rate and new pilots needs to be trained to replace the increased dead pilots in this war. Basically all you get is more dead pilots for nothing.
Looks like an international legion air force needs to be created from staff around the world to assist with helping Ukraine or better still NATO might need to step up.
Your comment about Mirage 2000s also being sent does makes sense, because I think a similar deal to the tank deal will occur. Ukraine ended up getting many tanks types from many countries. A similar deal will probably happen with jets. Ukraine might end up getting a zoo of F-16s, F/A-18s, Mirage 2000s, Gripens, Typhoons, Rafales, and maybe even F-15s.
Its really about the weapons rather than the plane. If Ukraine got meteor missiles then the f-16 could strike from extremely long range so they only danger they would be in is on the ground.
@@JohnnyWednesday Heyyy, look! Another highschool dropout who still believes Russia is holding it's best soldiers and equipment back for some imaginary "real fight" in the future I guess Puffy Putin didn't really want to take Kiev and end his special military operation too soon, huh? He'd prefer to keep his best tanks, best jets, and best soldiers held back in preparation while tens of thousands of less well trained and equipped Russians die in a war that's now well over a year old. Yep, that all makes perfect sense. You sure are a smart guy for believing all of that. You might even be smart enough to be a Russian military strategist. You should go there and offer them your incredible intelligence and invaluable service!!!
If they can only train so few pilots in the short term I think it’d be a much better idea to give Ukraine Eurofighters. Those would be a cut above F-16s and the various European countries that operate them could probably spare a good dozen or so fighters.
If you put an experienced race car driver in a 2013 Ford mustang and then a very inexperienced race car driver in a Ferrari I'm still going for the mustang. Or another words as cliche as it sounds unique experience to fly these expensive aircraft and if you can't train properly there's no point
Thanks for information. Imho long range and long range and more long range way more important now. But this is an investment for future, also good but not all resources in this basket. Hopefully Putler draws back to russia and it will be "peace" again. In that scenario F16 and other stuff will be extremely important so they wont invade again after licking their wounds. (Even better let Ukrain into NATO)
I know this wont happen, but Poland should just let Ukraine base its aircraft & fly missions out of Poland, Russia does it with Belarus w.o them being considered an active participant 🤗🫡
@@bigmungus4864 no wed owe them 1500 n uclear missiles and a hundred ICBM's they sent to russia because iof our arm twisting. i say we send our soldiers. they are useless otherwise anyway . fuck what the public thinks. they are owned by the military . let's use them.
Australia considers sending 41 F-18's. Recent days, Ukraine received solid pledges of NATO allies donating jets, a substantial number. Still, its about a month of six at least before details actually will matter. But better safe then sorry : long-term investments. Hope for the best, prepare for the worst. Its just a matter of time. And time is on Ukraine's side, proven over and over again. There is another silver line here: the slow but increasing support by its allies forces and stimulates Ukraine to be exceptional creative, innovative and effective in the use of the means provided. They are not getting spoiled, they learn to extract every drop of any advantage of every tool or weapon they get. No luxery, just trained for maximum effect.
Maybe even limited airfields that can host F16. Also a need to spread those to be less likely hit by russian long range missiles. But still even a few would be valuable to put more pressure on. Gripen would be even better as it can fly from basically everywhere (even from simple roads), so a real asimetrical weapon.
@@Vulcano7965 Mig29 can take off from a strip of only 240m (787 ft). F-16 needs about twice that. Also, Mig29 is made to take off from unpaved runways. That is one of the reasons why ukrainian Mig29s survived, they could be on every little strip of "road". F16s need proper airports and those can be hit by long range projectiles, its even enough to damage the runways to stop F16 to take off. So 50 of F16 plus 50 Gripen would be much more efficient than 100 F16..much harder to get rid off.
I guess F16 could deal with S400 or other Russian surface to air defence system by using its anti radar missiles system (AMRAM, if I'm not mistaken, or HRAMS?). But it's true, it's going to be fun indeed. It's going to be interesting to know which one works better. It won't be easily seen on paper, let's see it on the combat on the field.
The other main issue with the F-16 is that it is already fully integrated with the full set of NATO air launched and stand-off weapons, even a few will massively increase the available stocks of munitions NATO can deliver and Ukraine can use.
The UA international legion is accepting applications for pilots , weapon system operators, and maintainers; there likely will be prior trained pilots who will help fill in
They’ve been doing that for 14 months now
As long as they are not commanded by the Ukrainian AF not the Security Service
Not to mention very well paid
I can operate an Abrams but I think they have that part covered.
Imagine getting roasted by an AD missiles just for the Zelensky interests lmaooo
My guess is that we will get some radio intercepts of "Ukranian" pilots speaking with heavy Polish accents :)
What is ont mentioned, really anywhere not just this video, is that there are no realistic places left for Ukraine to source Soviet style planes. So long term they absolutely need to switch over to western planes. So yes the uptake is in all likelihood going to be painfully slow. But in the long term it guarantees that Ukraine will still have an air force at all.
Their own scrapyards are more than enough - 120+ Su-24s, 240+ MiG-29s.....
NATO hardware in Ukrainian military is inevitable. After this war ends, probably middle of next year at the latest, Ukraine will continue arming with older NATO hardware. People think the F-16s are going to be combat units but that's nonsense. They'll be training cadres, to teach the next generation of Ukrainian pilots over the next decade, so they'll be able to fight with NATO hardware in the next war. At most, under extremely accelerated training regimes, with foreign ground crews, you might see a few of these F-16s flying far from the front, on patrol near Belarus, getting some flight hours but never seeing combat before the war ends.
Ukraine needs to transition to western airframes. It’s going to take time, but the sooner the transition starts the better.
Why they can’t afford them 😂
Needs more investment. I think another 500billion would win the war
if you are on the side talking about transitioning and rebuilding, and changing your military while the other side is solely talking about where you might be and where they need to strike with their next missile, the war is lost
The transition is inevitable, but it won't really happen until after the war. The F-16s are for a training cadre to learn, and they'll teach others after the war ends.
Many people in the comments make comparisons of the older F16s against modern russian fighters. Keep in mind that A2A is likely not going to be the main role for these F16s. What F16 or F18 allows is the easy supply of modern western Precision guided munitions in ample stocks. Think stormshadow, but also JDAM-ER, SDM and most imporantly modern versions of AGM88 HARM, ADM160 MALD, and Harpoon AShMs.
These are platforms which open up a significant amount of strike potential, which russian logistics will have to deal with and adapt to.
The F16S will be just another weapon on a long list that were supposed to change the dynamic of the war but didn't.
@Hunter&Gatherer I really dont understand how you come to this conclusion. NLAW and Javelin have claimed hundreds of vehicle kills and helped stop the armored advances of the russian army towards Kyiv.
HIMARS GMLRS blew up 10 ammo depots in the span of 3 days and permanently moved ammo depots further from the front. Thus decreasing russian logistics efficiency.
Air defense like Stingers, Gepards, NASAMs, Patriot have all proven vital in taking down aircraft, drones and missiles and thus protecting vital infrastructure.
M777 Krab PzH2000 Ceasar have kept Ukranian artillery in the fight.
We even saw lightning fast attacks during the Kharkiv counteroffensive using Humvees.
All these systems have had meaningful impact in keeping Ukraine in the fight against the Russian invaders and every system brings Ukraine closer to pushing them out completely. They arent "wonderweapons", but definitely help Ukraine fight for their freedom.
One political outcome of the supply of F16 to Ukraine may be the commitment to the training timeline being interpreted as a political/diplomatic signal that military support will continue to be committed for the long term by Ukraine's allies & adversaries.
I wouldn't be suprised if Poland makes a trick from soviet's book* and starts flying it's F-16 in ukrainian camo.
*refering to how Russians were flying for north korean's in planes using korean markings and never officially acknowledging that Russian pilots joined that war.
It's delayed reaction karma.
Maybe, but it would be a lot harder than it was for the Soviets back in Korea and Vietnam, because the highly contested airspace and the constant threat from air defense systems of both sides means that you need a lot of communication and coordination between aircraft, ground control and air defense assets, to prevent friendly fire accidents.
Those Russian pilots in Korea didn't really need to speak Korean because they didn't need to communicate with Korean pilots or ground based assets. Polish pilots operating as part of the Ukrainian air force would need to speak Ukrainian or at least Russian, or the Ukrainians would need to speak English.
But then again who’s gonna do the borderline suicide mission ? U can’t force them ? Like the soviets
Poland hasn't got any pilots to spare for their own airspace. Why do people think that any polish soldier will die on ukrainian soil just for the sake of defending these people? Giving them money and equipment is enough. Most of people in Poland are supportive of Ukraine, but only a fraction of a percent are willing to die for them.
Wasn't there already a decent sized group of retired F16 pilots that were ready to volunteer if Ukraine got the planes?
They might not want foreigners to keep it from escalating.
@@thegooddoctor2009 Ukraine already invited foreign F16 pilots to join the Ukrainian military.
Maintenance personnel is more important than pilots imo
There is. Question is whether or not Ukraine would want foreign pilots who they have limited control over. Or train up their future airmen
@@jdogdarkness Ukraine already invited foreign pilots.
Might be a mix of F-16s, legacy Hornets, and Mirage 2000 from different sources and in slightly different configurations. This is a good start at low cost to transition to NATO compatible systems.
Eventually Ukraine should place new fighter aircraft on order, for deliveries within a few years. These can gradually phase out the older aircraft until they become the total force, with the older aircraft placed into reserve. Some options for new aircraft could include block 3 F-18 Super Hornet, F-15EX Eagle II, F-16 block 70, Rafale F4, Gripen E/F, and Typhoon. Stealth aircraft are probably off the table for now.
The USA can probably offer more generous financing terms than European countries. US lend lease has already been approved for Ukraine and this could potentially be used for new fighter acquisitions, providing aircraft for free temporarily or with very low interest loans for permanent transfers. While European countries have some good aircraft available, I think the financial portion will give preference to US aircraft. Of the 3 aircraft mentioned above, a 50/50 mix of F-15EX and block 3 Super Hornet might be most useful. F-15EX can replace Su-27 and Su-24 and be based in Western and central Ukraine. Block 3 Super Hornets can replace MiG-29 and Su-25 and be based in Eastern and Southern Ukraine. The Super Hornets as naval fighters with reinforced airframes and heavy gear and side intakes are well suited for dispersed operations from rough, austere, or damaged airstrips. F-15EX have long range, powerful radars, and large weapons capacity that provide potent beyond visual range combat capabilities against targets in the air or on the ground.
I don't think Ukraine will get Rafales during this war. Perhaps if they survive they will get them after. I don't think they will get eurofighters either. Gripen is a maybe
Ukraine will probably never get their hands on any gen 4.5 jet
@@hemendraravi4787 During the war no. But if they survive it which is likely in some degree then since they won't get into nato they will at least try to have a very good nato like army. I can see them getting 4,5 gen jets after the war just not during it
How refreshing to see a CZcamsr advertising a game that is neither mobile nor "free" to play.
Just thinking about the war going into 2025 is sad
Well yeah what else would you expect? The predatory parasitic military industrial complex wants this war prolonged for as long as possible to enrich themselves at the expense of many European lives.
@@walkingcarpet420 That applies to both sides of the war
@@walkingcarpet420 didn’t know the military industrial complex invaded Ukraine
@@ShitboxFlyer Oh, I'm sorry, does Russia have a global scale MIC to feed and nearly a thousand military bases in FOREIGN countries the world over that no one has noticed? No?
Exactly...
@@sabercooler5024 Then you really must not be paying attention. Where do you think all those weapons routed from Europe originally came from? The U.S. MIC. Who do you think will be responsible for/profiting off of Europe spending the next decade or so rearming their now critically short equipment levels? The U.S. MIC...
I've heard similar things about SAMs, tanks and everything else - Ukrainian won't be able to operate them, maintain, etc.
Also it's quite funny to hear the comparison with Russian jets, dog fights and etc. Those planes will be used as a launching platform for HARM-88, JDAMs, AGM-65s and possibly cruise missiles
It's all a pony show put on by our incompetent politicians as false publicity to show they're doing everything they can. In reality, they have no game.
I guarantee you NATO countries have been training pilots for the last six to eight months
In WWII, the UK (with a similar population then as Ukraine has currently) had 9,000 pilots to operate 6,000 planes within a year of the war starting. Modern planes are better performance and have more complex weapon systems, but are not intrinsically harder to learn to fly. My dad started out learning to fly Venoms in the RAF shortly after WWII ended, then became a commercial jet pilot for BOAC before moving to Qantas (and later Singapore Airlines). I would imagine that more than one cohort of pilots would be in training at the same time. eg. 20 start this month (the most experienced ones), then another 10-20 start next month, and so on. After a few months the new cohorts starting training would be inexperienced, so would need 12+ months, but there could easily be 60 pilots at various stages of training within 6-12 months, and a new group of 20+ graduating every month after a year or so.
ps. Australia is currently thinking about donating 40 or so F/A-18s to Ukraine that recently retired from active service.
I would guess that Ukraine might have a few experience pilots (eg the first 20) retrained to operate F-16s by the end of 2023, and 10-15 or so F-16s might be in operation by Ukraine by the start of 2023. Initially they will probably be used well back from the front lines to launch Storm Shadow missiles and clock up flying hours and combat training exercises. But I wouldn't be surprised if there were more than 100 pilots and 60+ western fighter gets operating in the Ukraine Air Force by the end of 2024. There will probably be a *lot* more Ukraine air defence systems covering any remaining occupied territory by the end of 2023 also, which will make it less hazardous for Ukraine pilots to operate within Ukraine air space.
ps. By 2026 Ukraine may be in the process of joining NATO, and the Russian war reparations being used to pay for the revamped Ukraine Air Force. So there could be NATO fighter jets and pilots stationed in Ukraine once Russia has signed a peace treaty.
the number of people in the Kyiv-controlled part of Ukraine is about 20 million and decreasing
Russian pilots flew under the North Korean flag during the Korean War. I say turnabout is fair play.
Korean war was a proxy war for both sides junior. This war is proxy only for USA. Russia is fighting for its territory right now
When the talibans were the good freedom fighters and fought against USSR, they were trained and led by the US green barrettes.
@@user-ju2tn4pj5y "Russia is fighting for its territory right now"
Wrong, ruSSia is fighting to keep illegally annexed Ukrainian lands, if they don't like the odds they are welcome to withdraw.
@@apveening those lands were always been Russian, they were given to the so called Ukraine by the communists. Before Russia those lands belonged to the Bulgars, khazars, Kievan Rus, the Tatars and the Ottomans.
There live Russians who want to be part of Russia.
@@user-ju2tn4pj5y
Being the largest country on the planet you would think russia could have made room for the Ukrainians who wanted to be russian.
What russia thinks belongs to them means nothing.
@@user-ju2tn4pj5y Taliban=/Mujahideen
As long as the Ukrainian pilots are cautious and don't take unnecessary risk I see these jets and pilots making a lasting difference.
You neatly skip over the very large amount of necessary risk they'd have to take. That goal cannot be reached before attrition removes their ability to reach it.
At risk if hugely oversimplifying war, maybe they can turtle up and only use their f16s in ambushes or as air artillery until they can bolster their numbers?
Russians have air superiority.
Of course you do Nafobot lol
💩🇺🇦🤡🇺🇦💩👌🙄🤦♂️😂🍻
No they dont. That would mean Ukraines air defences have been suppressed. Its rather shocking that Russia has zero SEAD capabilities
These are old f16s being sent with older avionics. They are much if at all of a step up from soviet aircraft. The difference is the compatability with western arms and their avaliability in western countries.
Got to get rid of those old stockpiles, so our European allies can get F-35 replacements at discounted price. Lockheed Martin will definitely make a killing profit. Your tax money ar work.
10:51 the long term-ness does not really matter. Ukraine will stay where it is: next door to Russia. They will need those F-16s even if the war somehow ended yesterday.
That's what they're for, the post-war training cadre, as Ukraine modernizes by switching over to NATO hardware from their old Soviet crap. These F-16s will never be ready for combat sorties before the war ends.
They’ll mostly like be those Leo-2A4’s in open field getting halted by artillery except it will be R-37M’s and Su35S
No, just like Leopards they might win on engagements but they are susceptible, tanks are susceptible to artillery and jets are susceptible to anti-aircraft.
No need For SU35s
Old Kub missiles are enough
Easier to get those F-16s and have them flown by retired F-16 pilots from across the world... Turkey and Pakistan has them in abundance and these two countries are unlikely to block their pilot's participation on the Ukraine side unlike many other F-16 operators
Funny.
Why not suggest they use ex US and UK pilots
Please do more Nation vs Nation like you used too in the past
Yes! But I have feeling he's pushed! As he was till war cool, then his reviews got delusional...
If Russell Case could learn the F18 quick enough to take out the alien ship in Independence day, then the Ukrainians should be fine.
DOn't forget the computer virus to get out the mother ship!
Best comment
Ah yes the collective wisdom of the comments section. The tankie copium is strong on this channel.
"tankie"
Wtf are you talking about? Most of the people commenting are right-wingers. That word has lost all meaning.
@@cat_city2009well honestly most of us don't care about a traitors politics. Left winger rooting for the enemy right winger doesn't really matter the whole rooting for the enemy thing is the important part.
@@horstnietzsche1923
"rooting for the enemy"
lmao most governments on Earth, especially the US, are the enemy of the left.
DCS pilots be like:
*PUT ME IN COACH!*
Factoring in the lack of proficient Russian pilots the new F16 pilots will even out overall.
I do agree the maintainers is a bigger issue.
Adding to that conclusion, there will be a need for pilots for an air force, even if the war ends this year.And if the war doesn't end,, there will really really be a need for pilots. Whatever the case might be,, there will be a need for new or re-trained pilots.
I think it might be smart to keep a few old pilots around to man whatever soviet era planes they have left, and try to mostly train fresh pilots. That way they have something to fall back on if the F-16's (or other planes) doesn't work out for whatever reason. But eventually they will have to build a modern air force anyway. They don't really have any choice, they have to do this anyway.
[just a random internet squeak]
F-18 > F-16. Austrailia negotiating to send 41 Hornets. Missile truck + can land on improvised strips + better radar.
I agree but it's even more longer term than the F16s.
F18 Can carry 1000 lbs more than the F16.. only one engine to maintain on the F-16, it also has a better thrust-to-weight ratio than the F18, and can make tighter turns.
Correct about the air strips required though.
@@rogerout8875 Those F/A-18's are due for new engines, soo F-414 enhanced performance engines perhaps before releasing them to the Ukrainians?
@@pogo1140 I personally don't care if we give them F4's, just get them there.
@Roger Out Those F4s, even with upgraded Vilnius, would be decent target practices for the Russian
novice pilots in their Su-30s.
any pmc or voluteer that’ll step up will really make the difference with the usage of the f16s
Not just former f16 pilots volunteering but also former NATO maintainers that have experience working on them.
It’s going to be hard on ukrainian pilots to be good with the f16, but also hard on ukrainian maintainers as well and people forget that.
Set the salaries to $5 million/year for experienced pilots, and I'm guessing plenty will apply. That's still nothing compared to the cost of operating the planes during wartime.
Make them fly primarily over friendly territory, and the number of POW embarrasments will be kept to a minimum.
Recruiting foreign ground crews is even simpler, as they can stay far away from the front lines.
Add 20-50 Ukrainian nationals to do the PR, and create the impression that most missions are flown by them.
The Netherlands have cancelled the sale of their 40 surplus F16’s to a commercial company. Those could have been meant for Ukraine.
Ya no doubt ukrine won't have 100 f16 at same time. They might have 100 planes at same time, but not 1 plane type. Imo UA will have 45 planes max of the same plane. Anymore they don't have the pilots or the mechanic's parts for anymore. You need airport's and ground support for a modern jets. Even ww2 needed "modern" supplies and support.
The only plane they could have 100+ off would be the Swedish Gripen and they're literally isn't enough gripens built for ukrine to have 100+ of them. F16 needs a legit runway, or a long highway, gripen just needs a 100+ft flat road and simple repair. F16 need trained mechanics and long and flat runway without trash so roads are 50/50 of usable.
Probably going to a lot more than 100 after Russia blew up that dam. Man, people are pissed about that one. People who I've never heard mention the war are outraged.
Well it is fucking outrageous
Liar. Anybody that doesn't talk about the war wouldn't be outraged over a dam. They don't care about Ukraine and just want to live their lives.
What about commercial airplane ukrainian pilots??
It will take a long time to get them trained. F16 controls Armenta very similar at all to them, especially if they fly Boeing aircraft.
Your videos are always completely impartial. Others could take a leaf out of your book.
I think that pilots started training somewhere last year. There were multiple visits by UA pilots to the US, and at that point in time - there was no reason to do it. So likely they started going through some evaluation and training 6-10 months back.
Might the F/A-18C be a better option for Ukraine? Australia just offered it's entire fleet of 40 original Hornets to Ukraine.
Well... more manageable anyway.. not sure about "better"
I agree but it's even more longer term than the F16s.
We are very thankful for any help we get. Better anything, tham nothing. Vive l'Europa. Vive America
Thanks buddy, as long as there is a single Ukrainian left we will help arm and encourage you to fight the Russians.
R-37M is expecting a feast 😅
Can u make video of annual Russian weapon production
Na bro they ran out of all missiles since June 2022 , all the so called missiles are just cgi
The latest news is that they might receive fa 18 hornets from australia that are currently sitting in storage as they are no longer needed and being replaced by f35's.. these planes have the latest a++ standard
Canada's planning to replace it's CF-18s too, tho I'm not sure when we're slated to start receiving F-35s; if Australia does donate it's F-18s hopefully arrangements can be made to make Canadian F-18s available too.
Assuming enough F-16s can't be found, anyway; streamlining the training and logistics as much as practical is important, so standardising on one western plane would be ideal, if enough can be found(which I should hope can be, given the F-16 is being replaced in a lot of countries, but militaries and governments tend not to be keen on a gap, and to be fair pilot skill is highly perishable AIUI).
I’m pretty sure they’re being sent to Canada or as a surplus
Current discussion is around 41 ex-RAAF F/A 18s. Australia could also be useful as a training location given its climate allows all-year flying and the airspace is a lot less congested compared to Europe. Basic flying training moved from being under a contract for 4G training with BAE Systems at Tamworth to in-house 5G RAAF training at East Sale in 2019. The Tamworth facilities are only suitable for 4G standard basic flying training but they are still there and could be restarted if training aircraft could be found and ex-instructors enticed back.
@@grahambaker6664the old BAE Tamworth location and airspace could easily be transitioned to full 5G training… but as you said, need to entice suitable instructors back, though I doubt this would be all that difficult.
@@whiteshadow_001 There are airspace issues around Tamworth that limit its suitability for 5G level training primarily because the higher speed of 5G level trainers, like the PC-21, require more room and height than the old CT4B and Tamworth sits under major airways intersections. Also, there would need to be additional buildings and possibly power upgrades for the additional simulators needed for 5G training. However, nobody has proposed giving Ukraine F-35s so training Ukrainians to fly 4G aircraft to NATO standards would be fairly easy particularly if the old RAAF training manuals can be updated and the facilities recommissioned.
What about commercial jet pilots for training rather than non-pilots?
The short term answer is contract pilots with F16 experience, also contractor servicing. Place the support/servicing base in a Nato country. As for the US? There are airframes in "the boneyard", hundreds, so there is no excuse or reason for the US to expect European countries to supply aircraft. If Putin et al object? He has already used contract soldiers, so that argument will not wash. Dangle enough money in front of western noses and? Personnel will flock to offer their services. Biden and his administration seem to want a long term proxy war. Give those guys the equipment they need to get the job done and finished.
Not to mention that the USAF is transitioning from F-16C/D's to F-35A's at about 30-38 F-35A/a year or 1 squadron every 8 months. This would release 24 planes plus some spare aircraft every 8 months
pretty certain most air forces don't have 100 fighters available to use at all times, fighters have certain limitations that mean you can only field s certain number, they need fuel but that means you will have less fuel available for helicopters and other aircraft like transport and surveillance and ground attack aircraft, also they require pilots but if you have to many fighters you will not have enough pilots for other aircraft.
Love your videos!!
I have a solution:
Giving some American pilots Ukrainian citizenship. And the US could pay them "illegally".
Then, technically no foreign soldiers would help Ukraine.
So mercenaries with extra steps
Korea & Vietnam?
@@linoleumshake
No, it's more the USA army is fighting against Russia, but with extra steps.
Oh, and obviously, Russia is using mercenaries as a significant force.
in this video: "the U.S. Air Force does not have enough pilots."
if you don't have enough pilots, you don't let them fly for another country.
@@istvansipos9940 Drones? AI? You know it's the future 😲
If they allowed western Pilots to fly for Uklraine there would be a line out the door, its pretty much the only chance for most to ever see real combat.
Do you have any idea how different jets are from each other? The world's greatest F-16 pilot wouldn't be able to start the engines of a Flanker, let alone use its weapon systems in combat. This isn't WW2.
@@JohnnyWednesday I am talking about if Ukraine gets western planes obviously
Nope. Only way I would volunteer (maybe) is if you give me an F-35. Otherwise, no.
@@robstone9628 - If you haven't noticed, Ukraine asked the rest of the world to die in a nuclear war to protect their president, and we said no.
If we really wanted to help Ukraine - we'd send them our latest equipment. This isn't about Ukraine winning - they're expendable and were always going to lose. This is about weakening Russia for the benefit of America.
Let’s go baby! 21st century Flying Tigers !
In Finland basic training for a fighter pilot takes about 6 years.
Why is Ukraine unlikey to operate 100 F16's? because they're likely🐨 to get 40 ex RAAF FA/18 Hornets! 🦘🦘🦘🦘🦘🦘🦘🐨🐨🐨🐨🐨🐨🐍🐍🐍
Ex F/A-18 hornets from Finland and Australia would actually probably be better since they’re easier to operate from non standard airbases
@@mustang5132hat’s true, but there are just so many F16’s that they are probably easier to keep operational than the Hornets. Ideally Ukraine gets both the Hornets and the Vipers. There’s no time to be picky when needs must.
@@pieter-bashoogsteen2283 there’s honestly enough legacy F-18s to fill this role. Finland and Canada are retiring them now for the F-35. The US has retired almost all of them in switches to the super hornet or f-35 B/C. When it comes to getting maybe 60-100 F-16AM types or 50-80 F-18s, I think the F-18s serve their purpose better. In Finland, they are trained to be used in the way Ukraine will need to operate them. The best would just be to give them all of these options but finding enough pilots for both will be difficult. The more modern radars on the F-18s from Australia and Finland will also perform better than many of the older ones in F-16s in Europe. Modern F-16s (block 50 and above) would be fantastic but no one is offering those and they would still be more difficult to use in limited airfield scenarios like in Ukraine
Even though these countries own the F-18 they need US permissions to send/ sell them. This is as dead in the water as it can get. Twice the engine, twice the maintenance, twice the cost. Ukraines lucky to get the 16 and even with them they won’t get all the toys they come with.
@@mustang5132 Canada and Finland won’t receive their F35’s for a number of years and the US hasn’t come out (yet) and said they would give Ukraine some of their own 4th generation fighters in storage. Most of the aircraft which are available right now are F16’s mlu (block 32 I think) from the Netherlands and Denmark, some from Norway maybe and those Hornets from Australia. That would be some 30-50 F16’s depending on how generous us Dutch (since my country is the primary donor) are and 42 Hornets. All in all I think a decent start for the Ukrainian air force.
Zelensky just said yesterday "Ukraine will recieve a 'SIGNIFICANT number' of fighters". Talked about how he usually has to twist arms, but in this case the west wasnt nickle & diming them.
That means maybe a dozen jets at best..😂
He lies all the time, why would you believe him? There's no practical way Ukraine can use F-16s in combat missions within 2 years. The war will be over by then. He's talking about a post-war conversion to NATO hardware after a negotiated peace next year at the latest.
The F16 is a poor choice for dispersed locations. Look where it's intake is.
The best they can hope for is they'll get a training cadre established far behind the lines after a couple years, and they will train a new air force on NATO hardware after the war is over, so they can be better equipped in the next war.
Don’t only just send F-16s, send F/A-18s too!
If they can sign up for foreign legion to fight on the ground let them in f16s
I doubt a lot of Ex US F16 pilots will volunteer to join Ukraine given the high saturation of AA Defense from Russia.
One of the USAF's most experienced Wild Weasel Pilots has already said that if given the right arrangement he'd fly for the Ukrainians.
@@pogo1140 yeah, we all know how this will end for him.
@@pogo1140 He is a wild weasel pilot. They are trained to hunt for AA.. Talking about the usual F 16 pilots. Working in that AA environment aint gonna be fun at all
@@pogo1140 What Ukraine needs are Long Bows and Kiowa Helicopters..
@@user-ju2tn4pj5y This is the guy who flew 100ft over an Iraqi Republican Guard Mechanized column, turned around and raked it with 20mm before heading home.
You've been wrong on every prediction.
Australia now offering F/A-18's...
Australia sold off their F/A-18's in 2021, some to a Canada for spare parts and the rest to the USA who store them in a hanger in Guam for back up pending a war with China.
@@neild3074 There are 40 left in Australia
This seems like fixable problems.
Lets say that the planes gets most maintenance in a friendly Nato country. Is there actually any reason why they couldnt just have part of the planes stationed outside Ukraine, serviced by non-ukranians and fly into Ukraine as needed? The russians have been doing that from belarus and given what I have seen so far It doesnt look like the poles, slovakians or romanians would mind.
I also dont get why there couldnt be an interpreter with the pilots/crew at all times if the english language is the problem.
That seems like a way to speedrun a global nuclear exchange.😂😂😂
Because radar exists.
As UKaf instructors are trained up, it will help alleviate the English requirement
I am sure this training and equipment transfers are much further along than from when we are finding out about this stuff. You shouldn't show your cards until you have to.
Excellent!
10 or 100. This is a new problem for Russian forces to handle.
Russia will need to prepare some good shovels
Plastic bags too, we don’t need any compost in Ukraine
Took Bakhmut with shovels
@@motozealot5176 and 100k casualties.
@@georgethompson913 How so the battle only involved 60K Russians and 80K Ukranians. Which despite constantly losing ground and hundreds of thousands of soldiers and with Ukraine already in Moscow the Prisoners armed with only shovels took Bakhmut. Says more about Ukraine's inability to win than anything else
@@georgethompson913 There were only 60K russians involved in Bakhmut and 80K Ukranians
24-36 combat-ready examples is probably all they’re gonna get, because that’s all that aren’t spoken for. Plenty more airframes available for parts though.
Attack at Dawn: North Africa on Steam
store.steampowered.com/app/1383640/Attack_at_Dawn_North_Africa/
Excellent analysis Commissar as always. I would imagine Ukraine can get the initial batch of Vipers and pilots in the air in safer rearward areas and let the MiG-29s and Su-27s continue to operate in the forward staging areas. Fulcrum and Flankers freed up from Western Ukraine would help. I would like to see if the Ukrainians are allowed to modify their Fulcrums and Flankers to fire AIM-120s even older AIM-120As would be helpful. Meanwhile, the Ukrainians need to select people for training at all levels, pilots, maintainers, Field Operations, etc. The Viper and Bug do require high tech support but ask the Marines,Aussies,Norwegians and Swiss about operating F-16s and F-18s from roads and Marine Expeditionary Fields. The Ukrainians need to be studying NATO weapons, tactics and employment right now onwards. Great video!! Slava Ukraini!!
portugal already said it won't be sending any F-16. that was NEVER EVER on the table. no one talked in favour of it. quite the opposite. they did said they will train pilots. don't know why you said such bs.
Great discussion on an interesting topic. 👍
I love my Binkov plushy BTW.
@@calvinlee1813 At the beginning of the war, the right circumstances for suitable improvised airfields in Ukraine didn't seem overly plausible but now, with a year of Russia demonstrating its ineffective strike capabilities, it seems almost inevitable.
@@riskinhos You seem to have imagined extra dialogue.
They should have started training thousands of pilots and mechanics over a year ago. They’d be ready by now, and they’d be able to send the best of the best and keep training the rest.
Failing to do so is pure incompetence.
Problem is ground crews, not pilots.
25 ground crew is kinda standard for F-16.
@@Milo-id9qd With enough time that can be done. It's been 15 months.
LOL, thousands. Keep dreaming.
@@Milo-id9qd, “…and mechanics…”
Do you know how to read?
Maybe not 100 F16’s, but is that a real problem though? Reportedly the Australian government is considering sending its 42 Hornets which it doesn’t use anymore to Ukraine with the US in support.
Exactly! I ve herd the news too! F18 🤙
That and Finland, Canada, and Spain have older hornets slated for replacement and that doesn't even mention the part stocks of the USMC and USN. Overall its feasible to send 36-42 F-16A/B Blk 20 MLU this year if everyone pulls their weight, and up to 100 Hornets next year
If the West and Ukraine really wants to find the pilots necessary for Ukraine to operate a sizable air force, they can. Time will tell how the plans progress.
@@LordOceanus Spanish’s hornets aren’t in very good condition, recently one had an accident.
@@tetraxis3011 Accidents happen even with new airframes but I do agree they are old. All that said if they still have 1000+ hours on their airframe they are worth sending to the US for a refurbishment and then to Ukraine. The same is true for the fleets of Canada, Finland, Australia, and the Legacy hornets of the USMC and USN. In most cases these are F/A-18-A/B models and some older block F/A-18C/D models. All are 1980s or early 1990s vintage. At the same time the F-16 fleets being considered from Europe are just as old if not older. In the hands of capable pilots and with the right maintenance and upgrades they are still lethal machines.
Fox 3 AIM 120s will deal with SU-30SM and SU-35 coupled with AESA radar or mechanically scanned array radar and Link 16.
The Su-35 have one of the most top notch non western radar, even if they're PESA type, the Irbis-E is too fcking powerful that it can detect aircraft with RCS of 3m² at 350km, adding also they have AWACS in the air that provides them information with data link and S-400 in the ground and carrying the hypersonic R-37M missile, by the moment those F-16 track one Su-35, probably those Flankers already launched before the R-37M and leaving a small window of time for the F-16 to avoid them, so I don't think those AMRAAMS would be enough imo.
Binkov the type of guy to randomly find games and recommend them to viewers as if it isn't a sponsorship.
I agree with one exception. Like we have seen in the past the motivation of ukrainian soldiers to learn new things is absolutely amazing. Even pecimistic US estimates about F16 training times drastically went down lately. If there is one thing Ukraine can do it is to train many pilots and crews in a very short period of time with exceptional results. Look what they have done with other very complex systems in the past. They used Patriot in ways even the US thought isn't possible. I guess the difference between normal soldiers and ukrainians lies in the fact they don't do it for money or fun, but for their country and families.
I just saw a video explaining that US pilots have around 200 hour of training every year. Ofc, they already know the plain inside out but still 200 hours isn't super creazy
@@NLJeffEU The Ukrainian are probably average around 180+ hours of combined combat and non-combat but high speed low level flight time at this point
So yes the best time to start training the crew is yesterday.
Honestly the US should have been laying the groundwork back in March 2022
@@pogo1140 Indeed. For ukrainians are outnumbered 1 to 4 so the only way to win in the long term is by tech supremicy, even if the jets arrive after the war, a strong airforce is a good deterrant to keep Russija from refusing to sign peace or breaing it for round 2.
Old F/A-18s would be a much better choice as they are can more easily operate from austere forward locations, something Finland does with theirs. There are also many available as the US, Canada, Australia, and others upgrade to Super Hornets and F-35s.
It really surprises me how much extra training is needed just to switch from Russian to American jets. I would have thought it would be a lot easier than that.
One of the issues is that if Ukraine gets F-16, it will be older F-16A, not the newest F-16C generation. Jets from the 80s are very complicated to fly because of stuff like logarithmic radar displays. On modern jets you see those radar screens that just show you where a target is relative to your own position and how high or or fast it flies is shown by how long a arrow symbol is that symbolizes the target. It is pretty easy and intuitive.
Old radar displays from the 80s don't work like that.
They are complicated translations of radar telemetry and they have many different modes they operate in, each mode changing what you see on the screen. It can be pretty complicated just to interpret the stuff those old radar displays show you.
There is a very realistic simulation game called DCS (Digital Combat Simulator) where they have accurately modeled a bunch of combat aircraft in great detail. There are CZcams channels that make tutorial videos on how to fly the aircraft.
If you want to know what I am talking about, you should look up a tutorial video on using the radar on the F-15A, which is from the same generation as the F-16A.
Having to know that stuff is hard enough, but having to know how to do everything and how to make quick calculations in your head while being under great stress is of course much harder. In the game you can press a Pause button, in reality not.
@@TrangleCI think they are better off sticking to su27/mig29 if they are only getting f16a
Even if it takes over a year to set up a fleet of western fighter jets in Ukraine that is a deterrent that helps push Russia to give up. If such a fleet is being built then Russia cannot win by prolonging the war and hoping Ukraine will run out of support. Nor can they hope to rebuild their military and try again since Ukraine will have an even bigger advantage then.
100 f-16s and 41 f/a-18s (fuck yes Australia)
Shhhhh
Don’t worry. There’s plenty of international pilots ready to form a Tigers unit
Western pilots in western jets is a step up above just training and hardware.
@@JeffBilkins that’s what I’m saying it’s a waste of money and time trying to train Ukrainian pilots to fly jet. They have no clue how.
@@JeffBilkins - Exactly. We don't want to die in a nuclear war. We'll help Ukraine sure - but make no mistake, we'll let them lose.
@@JohnnyWednesdayPutin’s nuclear threats mean nothing,
@@nobodyherepal3292 - We're entitled to decide for ourselves what the risks are.
Ukraine needs a squandron of 28 planes for the first round of F16s, with that they can do Harm's missiles against Russia's Sam systems. Once those are interrupted, Ukraine can start attacking ground forces of Russia with glide bombs, thereby getting the full force of combined armed assualt!
Ukraine needs to peace talk with Russia. this Zelensky is just a puppet of USA.
HARM ALREADY SHOOT DOWN BY RUSSIAN SAM AND JAMMED BY ECM
@@MICLakVER
When?
Where was it exactly?
Give us the detail.
@@syamhm.5744 euruasia times
@@syamhm.5744 you think Harm is a super weopon and cant be shoot down 🤣🤣
Is this Binkov on the side of the West and against Russia or is it just me?
no one asked a Serb
He's not pro-west. He's anti illegal invasion.
@@wakes_inc - is he also anti shelling innocent civilians in the Donbass?
Reality is against Russia. That is the problem
@@JohnnyWednesday Of course, all lose of life, even in the single digits are terrible.
And yes, the numbers Russia provides are pure fantasy
First off, the Greeks WILL NOT just give their F-16 Charlies over to Ukraine. That’s delusional, not unless they get a VERY good ROI. Second, the Canadians can train the Ukrainian pilots. They had no problem training Chinese pilots. Canada should be forced to make up for that terrible sin.
Germans also train Chinese pilots, and Poland will give out F-16s and pay for it.
Sorry, but before our pilots can train anyone to fly F-16's, someone will have to train the trainers. We've been flying the F-18 for quite some time.
@@johnladuke6475 we’ve got the trainers. We’ve got lead in fighter training and already train NATO pilots up to type conversion. The F-16s the Ukrainians would be getting are the same age, if not older than our F-18s. Try again.
There are volunteers ex Air Force pilots dying to go against the Russians. Give Ukraine the planes and let be good to go in a week.
Why not bring back “The Flying Tigers” - having retired US, Asian and European pilots serve Ukraine in flying F-16s and F-18s?
After those 30 pilot die, then what?
How many can be trained in an air force academy per year? 30? 60?
During wartime training times are reduced
And skilled pilots are also reduced.
This is all great, but those pilots should have started training last year. Ukraine needs these planes in the air now, not next year.
They will never fly combat missions in Ukraine. They are for a post-war training cadre, only, when post-war Ukraine converts over to NATO hardware to a larger degree in the late 2020s.
Wouldn't it be more of a case of conversion training for the Ukrainians pilots as they already have plenty of experience in fighting their planes.
US is not sending any of its F-16s but will allow other countries to send F-16s. Non western nations have about 150 F-16A and 1100 F-16C. Poland has 36 F-16C, Denmark has 33 F-16s, Netherlands is selling its 24 F-16s to someone else already, Belgium has 44 older F-16s, Greece F-16 fleet is currently going through its modernization upgrades. Australia is trying to get US approval in order to transfer F-18s. Ukraine should be seeking to train with some US wild weasel pilots.
Why do I feel like they are only going to give f16a.
Poland has 50 - 48 bl.52 and 2 non-flying as training.
netherlands is selling its F16s to no one actually ;) Norway apparently also have many to spare.
Two points (at least) this video misses:
1) Ukrainian civilian aircraft pilots (e.g. Boeing/Airbus) are currently twiddling their thumbs because Ukrainian airspace is closed. Train them.
2) The Ukrainian pilots already have a scheme for speeding up training: specialization. One group will train exclusively for ground attack, one exclusively for air-to-air combat and another group exclusively for anti-radar and reconnaissance missions. That will speed everything up.
3) Ukraine is seeking 40-60 F-16's initially.
I'm personally against having foreigners fly for Ukraine. They should train Ukrainians exclusively.
The Brit had foreign pilots during the Battle of Britain.
Flying an airbus and flying a F-16 is not close to the same type of experience. Training them would still take years and as far as I know I do not think ukrainians pull off high g manuvers in a civilian aircraft. Sometimes its good to understand how the real world works instead of some fantasy world.
Aircrafts specifically will take a long time we can not get around that fact. Building up the logistic network necessary for operating that number of equipment will take time. If we are going to help ukraine its important to understand the real situation and start to fix the problems one by one. The best way though poland and hungary is extremly against it is for a single european army so we can standardize our equimpent. Then build up the logistic network to supply ukraine with those standardized weapons, that way they only need to train on one system and the logistic line is much shorter since you do not need to transport equipment over the atlantic ocean.
Its the infrastructure that needs to be built up instead of this idea of send weapons system without training or munition policy. The infrastructure needs to be build up before they should get the different weapons system otherwise it becomes a meat-grinder. Though human stupidity always wins so I would bet we would do the irrational and stupid decision by sending pilots to their death by not giving them the proper training necessary to survive the battlefield.
It will take time to train them and do not train them there will be a higher casualty rate and new pilots needs to be trained to replace the increased dead pilots in this war. Basically all you get is more dead pilots for nothing.
@@BS-vm5bt Depends, most military pilots go to airlines after they finish their contracts
@@BS-vm5bt "...would still take years".
Statements require no logic or rationale to simply make - and making them does not make them true.
Looks like an international legion air force needs to be created from staff around the world to assist with helping Ukraine or better still NATO might need to step up.
On those Belgian F-16's, give us a little bit, we should be getting our 35's soon.
Your comment about Mirage 2000s also being sent does makes sense, because I think a similar deal to the tank deal will occur. Ukraine ended up getting many tanks types from many countries. A similar deal will probably happen with jets. Ukraine might end up getting a zoo of F-16s, F/A-18s, Mirage 2000s, Gripens, Typhoons, Rafales, and maybe even F-15s.
Nobody will send Rafales and Typhoons - nor Gripens for that matter.
I guarantee there are more than 5 ex-US airforce pilots who would volunteer to go head to head with the russians...
Old ex-pilots in ancient F16s vs the youngest and the best in the latest aircraft... good luck with that.
Its really about the weapons rather than the plane. If Ukraine got meteor missiles then the f-16 could strike from extremely long range so they only danger they would be in is on the ground.
@@JohnnyWednesday Heyyy, look! Another highschool dropout who still believes Russia is holding it's best soldiers and equipment back for some imaginary "real fight" in the future
I guess Puffy Putin didn't really want to take Kiev and end his special military operation too soon, huh? He'd prefer to keep his best tanks, best jets, and best soldiers held back in preparation while tens of thousands of less well trained and equipped Russians die in a war that's now well over a year old.
Yep, that all makes perfect sense. You sure are a smart guy for believing all of that. You might even be smart enough to be a Russian military strategist. You should go there and offer them your incredible intelligence and invaluable service!!!
@@evananderson1455you can’t do shit with early f16 , Ukraine is better of with mig29/su27 if all they r gonna get is an early f16
@@NeonRaveHuskeyhighly doubt Europe will give its best missile to Ukraine they need approval from 5 individual countries iirc
If they can only train so few pilots in the short term I think it’d be a much better idea to give Ukraine Eurofighters. Those would be a cut above F-16s and the various European countries that operate them could probably spare a good dozen or so fighters.
The Eurofighter is a high altitude fighter, the Ukrainians fight down low, I mean really low, below 6,000ft down to 100ft at 500+ knots low
If you put an experienced race car driver in a 2013 Ford mustang and then a very inexperienced race car driver in a Ferrari I'm still going for the mustang. Or another words as cliche as it sounds unique experience to fly these expensive aircraft and if you can't train properly there's no point
Thanks for information. Imho long range and long range and more long range way more important now. But this is an investment for future, also good but not all resources in this basket. Hopefully Putler draws back to russia and it will be "peace" again. In that scenario F16 and other stuff will be extremely important so they wont invade again after licking their wounds. (Even better let Ukrain into NATO)
Damn these comments are awful
How? F-16 fanboi?
I know this wont happen, but Poland should just let Ukraine base its aircraft & fly missions out of Poland, Russia does it with Belarus w.o them being considered an active participant 🤗🫡
Ukraine will likely be green-lighted to destroy Russian bases in Belarus before flying sorties out of Poland.
That would be a direct escalation of WW3 or Poland maybe excluded from nato article 5 for a while
You trying to start a world war dude ? We don’t owe Ukraine shat they should keep their war i house
@@bigmungus4864 no wed owe them 1500 n uclear missiles and a hundred ICBM's they sent to russia because iof our arm twisting. i say we send our soldiers. they are useless otherwise anyway . fuck what the public thinks. they are owned by the military . let's use them.
As in join the war even more than we already have?
There's also another potential source in the form of (former) Ukrainian commercial plane pilots.
Australia considers sending 41 F-18's. Recent days, Ukraine received solid pledges of NATO allies donating jets, a substantial number. Still, its about a month of six at least before details actually will matter.
But better safe then sorry : long-term investments. Hope for the best, prepare for the worst. Its just a matter of time. And time is on Ukraine's side, proven over and over again.
There is another silver line here: the slow but increasing support by its allies forces and stimulates Ukraine to be exceptional creative, innovative and effective in the use of the means provided. They are not getting spoiled, they learn to extract every drop of any advantage of every tool or weapon they get. No luxery, just trained for maximum effect.
The Finns have a bunch of F/A-18s going redundant with their order of F-35s
Give them anything they want.
Flying Tigers
You mean sitting ducks for Russian AD
@@Ghastly_Grinner You mean sitting ducks like Su-34 pilots releasing bombs on Belgorod residents?
Maybe even limited airfields that can host F16. Also a need to spread those to be less likely hit by russian long range missiles. But still even a few would be valuable to put more pressure on. Gripen would be even better as it can fly from basically everywhere (even from simple roads), so a real asimetrical weapon.
if the F16 is a response to the MiG29 (twin engine, air intake on the under side, similiar role), why should there be limited airfields?
@@Vulcano7965 Mig29 can take off from a strip of only 240m (787 ft). F-16 needs about twice that. Also, Mig29 is made to take off from unpaved runways. That is one of the reasons why ukrainian Mig29s survived, they could be on every little strip of "road". F16s need proper airports and those can be hit by long range projectiles, its even enough to damage the runways to stop F16 to take off. So 50 of F16 plus 50 Gripen would be much more efficient than 100 F16..much harder to get rid off.
@@chill29394 Ok then genuine question: What's different from the underside MiG29 air intake?
physically the same kind of danger applies here.
@@Vulcano7965 google it :) if I remember correctly, better protection grills to keep from shit from the unpaved runway going in
good video, Mr Bink
100 F-16: here we come.
s-300v4 s400: This is going to be fun.
They will use it just for point defence... Going offensive will be a suicide...
1 F16 with Harpoon: smiles
Ghost of Moskva: I’m scared
The S-400 already got killed by HIMARS. I'm not impressed.
I guess F16 could deal with S400 or other Russian surface to air defence system by using its anti radar missiles system (AMRAM, if I'm not mistaken, or HRAMS?).
But it's true, it's going to be fun indeed.
It's going to be interesting to know which one works better.
It won't be easily seen on paper, let's see it on the combat on the field.