US to arm F-16s for Ukraine with advanced missiles and bombs - The Wall Street Journal
Kyiv • UNN
The US agreed to equip Ukraine's F-16s with modern weapons, including HARM and AMRAAM missiles. Pilot training and aircraft maintenance remain challenges to the effective use of the fighters.
The United States has agreed to equip dozens of F-16 fighter jets to be sent to Ukraine with American-made missiles and other modern weapons. The Wall Street Journal writes about this, citing its sources, UNN reports.
Details
According to a senior U.S. official, although the Pentagon has limited stockpiles and production capabilities, it will supply precision-guided missiles and advanced missiles to the F-16 in sufficient quantities to meet Ukraine's most urgent needs.
“We are confident that we will be able to supply all of this (weapons - ed.), at least in the critical volumes that they need,” the American official said.
The United States will arm F-16s with AGM-88 HARM air-to-ground missiles, extended-range Joint Direct Attack Munitions that turn unguided bombs into smart weapons, and so-called small-diameter bombs that explode with a small radius of destruction. In addition, the United States will supply advanced medium-range air-to-air missiles, known as AMRAAM, and short-range air-to-air missiles, known as AIM-9X, for the fighter jets.
But weapons for the F-16 are just one of the many problems that Ukrainians will face when they receive the planes, the newspaper writes. The planes, which will eventually total about 80, will not be delivered all at once.
Once the fighter jets arrive, the next hurdle will be to ensure that there are enough pilots and maintenance personnel to operate them.
As noted, pilot training for the F-16 is a complicated process that takes place in several countries. Some Ukrainian pilots have started their training in English in the UK and France, two countries that have never flown F-16s. Flight training takes place in the United States, Romania, and Denmark, but the Danish center is closing this fall to transition to training on the modern F-35 combat aircraft that will replace the F-16 in the country.
The number of Ukrainian pilots ready to begin training has become a significant factor limiting the number of planes that can be sent, U.S. and Western officials say.
Currently, it is planned that Ukrainians who are trained to maintain the aircraft will perform most of the maintenance work domestically. According to a Pentagon official, higher-level work, such as engine maintenance, will initially have to be performed abroad. Negotiations are also underway to have European countries send contractors to maintain the F-16.
Once the pilot training and maintenance system is established, flying these aircraft into combat will still involve considerable risk, especially because Ukrainian pilots are used to flying Soviet aircraft.
It is also unclear how the F-16s will be used against Russian troops. Washington will limit Ukraine's use of U.S.-supplied weapons to strike Russian territory, as it does with other types of weapons, the U.S. official said. Kyiv will be allowed to use them on Russian territory only in response to attacks from the other side of the border.
Recall
Denmark and the Netherlands are preparing to send the first American-made F-16s to Ukraine this summer.
Ukrainian Armed Forces Commander-in-Chief Syrsky said that F-16s will strengthen Ukraine's air defense, but will have limitations. The fighter jets must be located more than 40 kilometers from the front line because of the risk of being shot down by Russian forces.
