Ukraine's aerial game-changer. How F‑16s could outmatch Russian forces

Petro Czernyk, a colonel in the Ukrainian armed forces and a military expert, believes that F-16 fighters would significantly reinforce his country's army. Although the Russians theoretically have a chance to prepare for encounters with these aircraft due to delayed deliveries, in some cases, particularly with certain missiles whose capabilities we explore, they will be powerless.

"The enemy is not and cannot be ready to fight such a machine. The most crucial element is the targeting system of this aircraft. It will be incredibly effective in countering KAB carriers. It won't be able to shoot down the bombs themselves, but Su-34s will be an easy target. A pair of F-16s means up to 12 dangerous missiles," said the Ukrainian colonel.

We remind you that Su-34s, used for carrying and dropping KABs (glide bombs), are nicknamed the "wonder weapon" of the Russians. The ability to counter this can be provided by additional anti-aircraft defence systems or F-16 fighters equipped with AIM-120 AMRAAM.

Each F-16 can carry up to six AIM-120 AMRAAM guided missiles, i.e., air-to-air missiles with an active radar guidance system. Apart from accuracy, it is significant that the range of AIM-120 AMRAAM, depending on the version, is from about 100 km to even 160 km.

Petro Czernyk recalls that "the element of surprise plays the most fundamental role in this war". The delayed deliveries of F-16s to the Ukrainian army allow the Russians, for example, to set up anti-aircraft defence systems in specific locations. However, they will not be able to change the capabilities of the AIM-120 AMRAAM missiles or some features of the fighters themselves produced in the United States.

The F-16 is a plane capable of reaching speeds up to 2 Mach, or over 2100 km/h, and operating at an altitude of up to about 15,000 metres. Petro Czernyk believes that such capabilities will also affect the "element of surprise," as the Russians will have problems detecting such fast-moving fighters, especially since they can also operate at night without any problem.

Several NATO countries formed a coalition in 2023 to bolster the Ukrainians with F-16 fighters. The first units of these aircraft are expected to appear on the front in the summer of this year.