The General Dynamics F-16 Fighting Falcon is an American air superiority fighter that Kyiv has begged for since the start of the full-scale invasion and is expected to finally start receiving this year.
It’s a versatile workhorse of a jet that’s fought in dozens of wars and is
I wonder. The western tanks didn’t apparently do much, and fighter jets aren’t exactly easier to operate.
Land superiority is easier to match with improvisation, weather conditions and expendable soldiers. Air superiority is pretty much guaranteed with superior technology (which F16 might be) and well trained pilots. Also air superiority can shit the balance for land superiority
I’m not sure a handful of old jets will be enough for proper air superiority, seed is hard and all that. I think the primary benefit is being able to much more effectively use a large part of the nato arsenal, which is much heavily foucoused around air launched munitions.
You might be right. F16 are close to 50 years old after all. Maybe they will just boost land superiority using the more available nato missiles. Still it’s obvious that Russia is scared of them, threathening escalation if F16 were to be supplied to Ukraine
The delay gave Russia time to create more defensive barriers against tanks. Jets provide additional air defense and longe range strike capabilities. Breaking Russian supply lines will make ground forces more effective.
The F-16s are capable of raining JDAMs on Russian Armor and defensive positions and this will likely be their primary role after they are done running SEAD / DEAD missions against Russian Air Defenses…another thing they’re quite good at.