The idea being thrown around is the minor day to day stuff can be taught to Ukrainian mx staff. If a plane needs major service like an engine rebuild or something, that would could be done by an ally by flying the plane there (assuming it’s flyable) Current joke is that Poland is offering to do the major stuff in exchange for the ability to advertise its help to piss off the Russians. On a side note there are rumors out there that the US had US maintainers help with the repair of the Patriot on Ukrainian soil. Who knows if that is true.
Apparently the F16 is the most widely exported military aircraft by the U.S. Tons of countries operate it and the ability to get parts and repairs is much easier. Add to the fact that the F16, while being proof you can make anything fly if you attach a big enough rocket to it, does exceed at several roles needed in a conflict like this. Those roles are suppression of enemy air defenses, close air support, and air to ground and air to air attacks. Put a couple anti radar missiles on one and you have a damn quick asset for hunting Russian SAMs. We have built like 4,500 of these things.
Older versions, no problem probably. Newer versions with advanced tech bundles, problematic. There may be an issue of availability
Hot take Ukraine doesn’t need F16’s at all whatsoever at this point especially if we’ve got Polish Migs firing NATO anti radar weapons and SU-24’s launching fucking storm shadows it needs ammunition and IFVs
I tend to agree for the most part here based on what the reality would be in sending a few f-16 with a few weapons. Sending a few f-16 does not really change any equations or give ukraine a substantial new ability like HIMARS and Storm Shadow have done. BUT if we can get a decent number of f-16s, appropriate training, and a good amount of all of the right weapons then we could be cooking. They would need a lot of aim-120, JDAM, and harms. You get several dozen f-16s flying each day throwing those things all over the place and that moves the needle substantially.
I think the Brits are REALLY PISSED about the Russians, and likely are trying to stir up the other EU countries. Besides, all of them would rather go F35 or Gripen or a consortium plane, I think. But we'll see.
From what I've seen Poland's only giving them four MiG-29s, which are kinda crap compared to an F-16, even early models. It's primarily a air superiority fighter (which Ukraine doesn't need) and modern F-16s (even the old C-models) are true multi-role fighters, so they can do air-superiority, close-air-support, interception, a limited amount of ISR, and even replaced the F-4 as Wild Weasel anti-SAM fighters.
which leads me back to my likely dumb question- why not truly and source more of what they already have/know how to operate and work on?
hotter take, ukraine doesn’t need planes at all. Western air superiority doctrine isn’t going to win the day for ukraine. Russia has more planes, more pilots, and 4th gen fighters are going to be sitting ducks for Russian AA. Ukraine needs more tanks, more long range missiles, and more mobile anti aircraft platforms.
Long term we should absolutely figure out a way for them to be able to control the skies over Ukraine
Right, plus artillery tubes and shells which they might need most of all. Queen of the battlefield and such
Is this photoshop? They say the vehicle was carrying anti-tank missiles. You have to click the link to see it.
I would think CAS would be more of an advantage right now. The Russians would definitely do what they could to immediately take them out, but how wiling are they to committing more? You get a fresh squadron of planes UKR knows how to fly and work on, with some more spare parts that we could probably dig up here in the US from planes we’ve accumulated over the years to study and play aggressor and I think they really helps make this coming offensive more potent vs trying to rush training on f-16s
russia would just respond with their own planes and AA. It’s just not really a needle mover in my opinion. Ukraine can’t have close air support for the same reasons the Russians don’t
if it's the grenade dropped from a drone that blew up an armored vehicle like a small nuclear weapon looked pretty fake
https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/USS_Jack_H._Lucas What a boss of a boat, man this thing has firepower
Pretty sure we don’t have many left in storage. We reactivated a bunch of the F117s a while back. This is from yesterday. This is from last month https://www.instagram.com/reel/CrbGgERvcGY/?utm_source=ig_web_button_share_sheet
It's amazing that the F-117 stealth package, itself almost 40 years old, is still so advanced that it can be used in aggressor squadrons and still give our pilots a tougher adversary than what they'd face IRL
Some of y’all, seemingly just average Joes from the internet, amaze me with the info you have access to.
It's amazing what you can find open source. I have a lot of background knowledge but everything i post here i make sure I can find on the front page of Google
That is more what I mean. Someone with the background who knows what they're looking at is one thing. But I would imagine at least some folks don't have a formal background.
Ok so what is the next focus now that bahkmut has fully fallen? also seems like Ukraine let this happen after the big pushes this past week they appear to face just let Russia take it impending counter offensive?
unsurprising list, I’d like to see more Bradley’s and Strykers but I feel like that’s coming once the Abrams are delivered
F-16s fire Harpoons which now makes me want to give Ukr F16’s Sink the Black Sea fleet once and for all