The US-made jets delivered to Kiev lack a cutting-edge, based on a drive spokesperson
US-made F-16 fighter jets equipped to Ukraine by Western nations can not totally compete with Russia’s Su-35 multirole fighter in aerial fight, Ukrainian Air Drive spokesperson Yuri Ignat has mentioned.
Washington permitted F-16 deliveries to Kiev in mid-2023, permitting NATO allies to ship jets and prepare Ukrainian pilots.
Talking to Ukrainian TV channel Novosti.Dwell on Tuesday, Ignat identified “the modifications that Ukraine has can not compete one-on-one in an air battle. We’d like a complete method because the [Russian] Su-35 is a comparatively new jet…” he mentioned. “This contains ground-based air protection, digital warfare techniques, and ideally, an airborne radar. Additionally essential are onboard radars for our plane and air-to-air missiles.”
Belgium, Denmark, the Netherlands, and Norway have pledged to produce Ukraine with 80 F-16s, although most will take years to reach. In 2024, Ukraine acquired about 18 plane, however one F-16 was misplaced in August when a veteran pilot was killed in a crash.
The trigger stays unclear, with hypothesis about pleasant fireplace from a Western-provided Patriot missile. Following the incident, Ukrainian chief Vladimir Zelensky dismissed the commander of the Air Drive.
Kiev anticipated the F-16s to be a possible game-changer on the battlefield, however outdated radar techniques and the absence of the Hyperlink 16 tactical community have restricted their effectiveness.
Moscow has condemned Western arms shipments to Ukraine, saying they delay the battle with out altering its course. It has additionally referred to as F-16 deliveries an escalation. Russian President Vladimir Putin has warned the jets wouldn’t shift the battlefield state of affairs and mentioned Moscow would contemplate them legit targets if launched from third-country airfields.
Supply hyperlink