Up to 100%: the Armed Forces of Ukraine explained what targets the F-16 fighter can intercept (video)
According to Yuriy Ignat, a spokesman for the Air Force Command, the delivery of Western fighters will increase the percentage of air targets intercepted to the maximum. However, F-16s will not be able to shoot down ballistics.
F-16 fighters will help the Air Force defend Ukrainian skies from Russian missile and drone attacks. Yuriy Ihnat, a spokesman for the Air Force Command, told RBC-Ukraine.
The US F-16 fighter jet is capable of increasing the percentage of Russian air targets shot down to almost 100%.
What targets will the F-16 be able to shoot down
“It can cover the sky from kamikaze drones and cruise missiles, which means bringing the percentage of downed aircraft to 100, while now we have 70-80% – this is with strong Russian attacks, and with the F-16 this figure can increase to the maximum,” Ihnat explains.
He also added that the aircraft would allow the use of cheaper missiles for air defense and avoid wasting expensive ammunition on insignificant targets. Air defense systems are supposed to protect Ukrainian skies from Russian aircraft in order to control the airspace and defend large cities and strategically important facilities. Ihnat added that the F-16 will not be able to shoot down ballistic missiles.
How the F-16 training will take place
Training of Ukrainian pilots on Western F-16 fighter jets is to begin soon. The pilots have been waiting for two months for a decision on where they will be trained. One of the problems, according to Yuriy Ihnat, is the capacity of simulators, instructors, and training aircraft at the partners’ facilities. In 6 months, several fighter squadrons can be trained to perform current tasks.
Training schedules will begin in late summer. The Air Force is now consulting with partners to determine where and how much to train pilots.
On July 21, the White House said that Ukraine could receive an F-16 by the end of the year, but the Armed Forces need artillery, tanks, and air defense.
