"There is plenty to surprise Russia with": Ukrainian Ministry of Defence lists advantages of F-16 jets
The Ministry of Defence of Ukraine has highlighted the strengths of the modern multi-purpose F-16 fighter jet, which can ensure Ukraine's advantage over the Russian invaders.
Source: Military Media Centre (MMC) under the Ukrainian MoD
Quote: "Is the F-16 capable of dominating the Ukrainian skies and keeping them closed to Russian aircraft? The short answer is yes, but let's deal with one thing at a time...
Photo: *The specifications on the infographic are illustrative. The MMC explains that there are many F-16 model variants, and it is unknown which one the partners will provide to Ukraine
Versatility
The F-16 is a multi-purpose fighter jet that, along with its direct purpose of air combat, can be used as a tactical bomber, air defence element and even a specialised electronic warfare aircraft. Therefore, the F-16 combines the functionality of all the primary Soviet aircraft in service with the Ukrainian Air Force today.
Armament
The variety of weapons this aerial vehicle can carry is truly impressive. Air-to-air missiles, particularly the basic AIM-7 and AIM-120 AMRAAM (the missiles in the latter modification are capable of hitting a target in homing mode at a distance of 180 km); air-to-ground missiles, particularly AGM-65 Maverick assault missile, anti-ship AGM-84 Harpoon, which Russia has faced in its ground version, the equally familiar anti-radar AGM-88 HARM, and the AGM-158 JASSM cruise missile from Lockheed Martin (HIMARS).
In its basic version, the latter is capable of hitting a target at a distance of 370 km. Various bomb types can also be used, particularly adjusted, free-fall, incendiary, and cluster bombs. To cut a long story short, there is plenty to surprise Russia with.
Manoeuvrability and "farsight"
Although the F-16 is slightly inferior to the Soviet-made MiG-29 in terms of flight manoeuvrability, this minor difference is completely levelled by advanced electronics that allow for long-range hostile detection. The AN/APG-80 radar has a target detection range of almost 200 km, and the AN/AAQ-33 Sniper, AN/AAQ-13 LANTIRN or AN/AAQ-28 LITENING targeting containers allow for precise aiming at enemy targets.
Aircraft prevalence
The F-16 is the most mass-produced aircraft of the 4th generation. A total of about 4,600 fighters of this type have been produced, which is almost three times more than the MiG-29. Mass production implies a well-developed infrastructure that will be useful in servicing and maintaining the aircraft's combat capabilities, while the shortage of parts for Soviet combat aerial vehicles will obviously increase."
Background: The Air Force of Ukraine explained why modern multi-purpose fighter jets could be an effective countermeasure against Russian aircraft.
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