Fast and powerful "Fighting Falcon": what is known about the F-16 and when Ukraine will be able to get it

The White House confirmed that the United States and Ukraine's Western allies intend to provide Ukraine with F-16 fighter jets. It is not yet known when the aircraft will arrive in Kyiv, but a government spokesperson stressed that they will not be used to strike at Russian territory.

According to Sky News, preparations for the upcoming delivery will take place in the coming months, along with training for Ukrainian pilots. Although the final timing is not yet known, the decision is beginning to take shape.

On 16 May, the UK announced the creation of an "international coalition" to help Kyiv obtain F-16s, while the Netherlands and Denmark said they plan to supply the aircraft in the future, and France is ready to train pilots.

It should be noted that F-16s will be a great help for the Ukrainian Air Force, as these aircraft are versatile and highly manoeuvrable.

Characteristics of the F-16 fighter jet

According to Britannica, the F-16 Fighting Falcon is a multi-role fighter developed for the US Air Force. It is equipped with an internal M61 Vulcan cannon and has 11 suspension points for weapons and equipment.

A standard F-16 payload typically includes two 907kg bombs, two AIM-120 medium-range and two AIM-9 Sidewinder short-range air-to-air missiles, and two external fuel tanks weighing 1,088kg.

The jet can reach speeds of up to 2,500 miles (approximately 4,023 km) per hour and has a range of more than 2,000 (3,218 km). It has a wingspan of 32 feet 8 inches (9.9 m) and a length of 49 feet 5 inches (13.8 m). The unladen weight is 19,700 lb (8,935 kg) and the maximum take-off weight is 37,500 lb (17,010 kg).

In addition, the F-16 is equipped with an advanced bomb guidance system that uses a laser rangefinder and fast digital data processing. This system allows conventional "dumb" bombs to be dropped with high accuracy from low altitudes. These structural and electronic innovations make the F-16 a very powerful and versatile aircraft.

There are both single-seat and two-seat models of the aircraft.

Where and when was the "Fighting Falcon" used?

The F-16 is known to have been used during the 1991 Gulf War. It was used to attack airfields, military production facilities, Scud missile sites, and other targets.

In addition, F-16 fighters were also involved in NATO's bombing operations against the military infrastructure of the former Yugoslavia in 1999, as well as in the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan.

In addition to the United States, these fighters are operated by several other countries, including Poland, Belgium, the Netherlands and Denmark.

How many F-16 fighters and when can Ukraine get them?

The United States has stated that its priorities are now focused on meeting offensive needs, which are important at the moment. Therefore, they will assist Ukraine in training, but the delivery of the aircraft from the United States will have to wait.

Britain should not expect any aircraft either, as it does not have any in service. Belgium is also replacing its F-16s with F-35s, but they will only start arriving next year, so deliveries are also unlikely for now.

According to Defense Express, Ukraine can expect to receive F-16s from the Netherlands and Denmark in the coming months. While the decision to transfer F-16s has already been officially discussed in Denmark, the possibility of transferring the aircraft was considered in the Netherlands at the beginning of the year. For these countries, the transfer of some F-16s will not pose a critical threat to their defence capabilities, as they have already started receiving F-35s to replace the F-16s.

"Tentatively, if we take into account only the resources of the Netherlands and Denmark, we can talk about one or two squadrons from the Netherlands and one from Denmark, that is, a total of 24 to 36 aircraft, with a further gradual expansion of the number of aircraft as new F-35s arrive from the US and a maximum total of 70 F-16 fighters," the publication reports.

Recall that the US believes that Ukrainian pilots will be able to learn to fly US F-16 fighters in just four months, rather than 18 months, as previously estimated. This conclusion was made by the US Air Force after two Ukrainian pilots underwent training on flight simulators, according to Yahoo News.

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