The US has approved the transfer to Ukraine of American-made F-16 fighter jets from Denmark and the Netherlands when Ukrainian pilots are fully trained to operate them.
It wouldn’t survive long enough, unfortunately. Look at all the coverage of manpads and drones, so many anti-aircraft and anti-misfile systems. It really drives home the point that close in air support with a manned aircraft has become suicidal, even in an A-10.
I always wondered how an F-35 could replace the A-10 for ground support. Clearly it can’t but I believe the goal is precision attacks while staying at a safer distance.
Look at how Russia is using their Air Force. In general, staying out of range while shooting “precision” weapons.
F-16 has some really amazing capabilities but I hope they don’t try to use them for close support. Ukraine needs F-16s to bring the fight to the Russian Air Force. It’s no longer ok for them to fly 50 miles offshore to shoot missiles from any direction
I assume the hesitation was because Ukraine is obviously also interested in stopping Russian Air Force from shooting missiles 100 miles behind the lines … over or near Russian territory
It wouldn’t survive long enough, unfortunately. Look at all the coverage of manpads and drones, so many anti-aircraft and anti-misfile systems. It really drives home the point that close in air support with a manned aircraft has become suicidal, even in an A-10.
I always wondered how an F-35 could replace the A-10 for ground support. Clearly it can’t but I believe the goal is precision attacks while staying at a safer distance.
Look at how Russia is using their Air Force. In general, staying out of range while shooting “precision” weapons.
F-16 has some really amazing capabilities but I hope they don’t try to use them for close support. Ukraine needs F-16s to bring the fight to the Russian Air Force. It’s no longer ok for them to fly 50 miles offshore to shoot missiles from any direction
I assume the hesitation was because Ukraine is obviously also interested in stopping Russian Air Force from shooting missiles 100 miles behind the lines … over or near Russian territory