The War in the Ukraine
- Thread starter SampanViking
- Start date
I don't really see what F-16s would add over Su-24s when it comes to cruise missiles tbh. Am I missing something?
Just replenish numbers if they can have enough...I doubt it. At this rate, L-39 would have been enough to lobe small diameter bombs. Don't know if they have used them for something or they have been carpet bombed on the ground.
You gotta consider how large it's user base is. European F-16s (and maybe the ones in the AMARG as well?) that are being replaced by F-35s can be transfered to Ukraine along with their AMRAAM B stocks. Even A/Bs with MLU are still capable enough aircraft and they can haul pretty much any NATO equipment the Ukranians can get their hands on.
1. It could be nothing more than political symbolism and a stall to negotiations, maybe even to convince the Western public into shelling more more money.
2. It could also be an attempt to widen the conflict by having the F-16s take off from outside of Ukraine, maybe Poland, Moldova etc.
3. Since the F-16s are capable of launching nukes, it could be a way to bait the Russians into overreacting or overextending themselves.
4. It could be a way for the US to sell more F-35 fighters by depleting the F-16 inventory of the countries that will hand these planes over to Ukraine.
5. Maybe the West can't give anything else.
If the hydraulics was damaged you couldn't turn the radar around as the poster suggested.
Ukrainian ammo depot gets hit in the Kupyansk direction.
Ukrainian Falleye UAV landed and captured by EW.
Lancet takes out another Ukrainian 2S1 Gvozdika.
Grad shelling in the Kupyansk direction.
Shelters used by Ukrainian troops getting shelled at in the Kupyansk direction.
Another Ukrainian M777 gets hit by Lancet.
Russians advance in Kislovka.
Novokalinovo under Russian assault now.
Ukrainian ammo depot gets taken out by FAB with UMPK.
Ukrainian SPG, probably a 2S1 Gvozdika, gets Krasnopoled in the Avdeyevka sector. By the Siberian Association.
RBK-500 and FAB-250 hit Ukrainian positions in the Seversk region.
KABs arrive in an important logistics hub in Konstantinovka.
Despite losses, the 155th Marine Brigade has significantly more vehicles than before the assault on Novomikhailovka began, greatly due to capturing vehicles from the AFU's 79th Brigade defending Novomikhailovka.
Buk-M1 takes out a Ukrainian Valkyrie UAV.
AFU training camp burns after s strike. Location unknown.
Some place in Kherson possibly. First the location gets the FAB treatment followed by RBKs.
There arent that many left that are in good enough condition to not be a bigger threat to it's own pilots than to the Ruzzians.
Of the Dane ones, most are being picked up by Argentina, most likely the less tired ones as they are actually paying, unlike the Ukranians. The rest of the European fleet of MLU that hasnt been sold already or scrapped it's in dire need of an overhaul at the very least, if they are somewhat airworthy, let alone fully combat ready.
We are talking about planes that are +40 years old. And the MLU program dates back to the 90's.
They are basically the same as a minimally upgraded MiG-29 with the R-77. Similar to the MiG-29BMs that Belarus operates.
Even worse than the MiG-29SMT. Let alone the MiG-35.
The main advantage in air to air combat versus their existing MiG-29s is that they don't need to continue radar lock to fire long range missiles. Because Ukrainian MiG-29s don't have the R-77 missile. They are still using the R-27 missile without active seeker.
The thing is, I don't know of any F-16s having the capability to fire the European air launched cruise missiles like the Storm Shadow or the Taurus. So if they want to do that they would need to add support for those to crusty old F-16AMs. Then again the Europeans might not have that many Storm Shadow cruise missiles left. Which means it is highly likely the US will start delivering their own cruise missiles. This will basically provide the Russians with the radar signature for yet another cruise missile which is supposed to be used as deterrent against them. The same cruise missiles the US sold to Finland supposedly so they have a deterrent against Russia.
The Russians have already warned about this.
I think this is highly likely. But it will also collapse F-16 sales when they start getting dropped like flies. The F-16 is still a major money maker for the US because not all countries can buy the F-35 even if they want to. More sales for the Rafale I guess. Maybe even for the J-10.
Yeah. It is what they have left to send basically. That and a gazillion M113 and M2s.
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F-16 has significance of able to utilize US weapon stockpile.
2nd one is my guess, but it also opens up possibility Ukraine could fly the jet in NATO country to repair safely. It would be hard to identify if Ukrainian plane landed outside the country, since it is same model.