F-16s will expand Ukraine's air defense capabilities far beyond the border with Russia, - American expert

American F-16 fighter jets, which are already in service with the Ukrainian Defense Forces, will provide new opportunities to defend against air threats from the Russian army. Ukraine will be able to extend its air defense far beyond the border with Russia.

This was stated by Malcolm Nance, an American intelligence and counterterrorism expert, in an interview with Ukrinform. He noted that certain types of weapons "will not win the war by themselves," but the arrival of the F-16 in Ukraine will definitely change the situation at the front.

"The fighter is equipped with AMRAAM missiles. Now the distance to the target will reach 100 kilometers. Russian aircraft will explode along with cruise missiles in Russian airspace," the expert explained.

According to Nance, being integrated into Ukraine's air defense system, F-16s will be able to intercept Russian hypersonic Kinzhal missiles with AMRAAM, as well as to pursue bombers and fighters.

Several F-16s at very low altitude, using information from NATO's AWACS long-range radar detection and control system or air defense data, will be able to engage air targets at considerable depth.

"Now you can extend your air defense far beyond the Russian borders. So the F-16s will change the situation," the expert concluded.

Commenting on the publications in the Western media that modern American fighters allegedly will not affect the course of the war, Nance noted that this was said about every weapon system provided to Ukraine. Including the HIMARS multiple launch rocket systems that turned the tide on the battlefield.

This was also said about ATACMS missiles, which were not provided for a long time, but they became another superweapon of the Armed Forces.

As OBOZ.UA reported, the first F-16 fighters to arrive in Ukraine are equipped with missiles with a range of 70 kilometers. They can be used to shoot down cruise missiles, Shaheds, enemy aircraft, and other air targets, said Oleksiy Melnyk, co-director of foreign policy programs and coordinator of international projects at the Razumkov Center.

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