Ukraine bolsters defences: New F‑16s and advanced weaponry en route
Ukraine has received the first batch of the long-awaited F-16 aircraft, but more planes from Denmark will arrive in Ukraine by the end of 2024. Let's recall the performance of these machines and what they offer Ukraine.
Ukrainian aviation is a shadow of what it was before the outbreak of the full-scale war. It currently has only a handful of planes, including MiG-29, Su-27, Su-24, Su-25, and a few F-16s.
These have proven very effective in hunting drones and cruise missiles, but unfortunately, there are too few F-16s compared to the needs. To make matters worse, one F-16 has already been lost, significantly weakening the capabilities of Ukrainian aviation. However, by the end of 2024, a second batch of planes from Denmark will arrive in Ukraine, which, combined with a potential delivery of the remaining Polish MiGs, will significantly reinforce Ukraine's potential.
F-16A/B MLU — protected the West from Soviet aviation, now doing so over Ukraine
The planes delivered to Ukraine are specially modified versions of the F-16A/B MLU (Mid-Life Update). These were versions from the ’90s, where the biggest change was integration with AIM-120 AMRAAM missiles, which, depending on the version, have a range of approximately or over 100 kilometres, and the installation of a radar suited to their parameters.
This was, however, the starting base, as the machines for Ukraine underwent additional modifications last year. There have been reports of, among other things, the integration of these machines with French-guided bombs AASM Hammer or targeting pods like the AN/ASQ-213 HTS. These allow for optimal use of weapons such as anti-radiation missiles AGM-88 HARM or bombs JDAM-ER.
As a result, a machine was created that has capabilities somewhere between the F-16A/B MLU and the F-16C/D Block 52+. A lot also depends on the radar used, as there is a substantial difference in capabilities between the AN/APG-66, the AN/APG-68, and the new AN/APG-83 SABR.
The F-16 is equipped with a six-barrel M61A1 Vulcan 20 mm cannon and a total of 11 pylons for armaments, but the two outermost pylons on the wing tips are solely for short-range air-to-air AIM-9 Sidewinder missiles, and 2-3 underbody pylons typically contain targeting pods and fuel tanks. In practice, there remains a maximum of six pylons on the wings for heavier armaments.
