Since the start of the Russo-Ukrainian War in February 2022, there have been widespread calls for the transfer of combat aircraft to Ukraine, most notably MIG-29 “Fulcrum” and F-16 “Falcon” multirole fighters. Unfortunately, this same limitation would also be the case with any future F-16 acquisition for Ukraine, as Russian Mobile Air Defence Systems still would continue to present a significant threat to combat air operations, no matter the platform in question. Advanced weapons but expensiveThis is a very brief overview, so to summarise…Pros:Superior avionics and radar systems alongside Western Air to Air Weapons Systems would perhaps swing air superiority in favour of the Ukrainian Air Force. More opportunity for more advanced weapons loadout, threatening Russian Air Defence and ground positions. As high-level discussions on this topic continue, only time will tell if Ukraine will be donated F-16s.

Source: Washington Post January 28, 2023 17:34 UTC