The United States has approved sending F-16 fighter jets to Ukraine from Denmark and the Netherlands to defend against Russian invaders as soon as pilot training is completed, a U.S. official said on Thursday.

“I am writing to express the United States’ full support for both the transfer of F-16 fighter aircraft to Ukraine and for the training of Ukrainian pilots by qualified F-16 instructors […] It remains critical that Ukraine is able to defend itself against ongoing Russian aggression and violation of its sovereignty” said Blinken.

Will this solidify a Ukrainian victory?

U.S. officials have privately said that F-16 jets would have been of little help to Ukraine in its current counteroffensive and will not be a game changer when they eventually arrive given Russian air defense systems and contested skies over Ukraine

Or will Russian radar and missle systems tear them up?

  • unscholarly_source@lemmy.ca
    214·
    1 year ago

    I’m not an expert or anything, but as it has been explained to me, the geo-political consequences of Ukraine having NATO weapons is enormous… If Ukraine were to have access to F-18s, F-35s, or any NATO asset, it would implicate NATO, and further escalate the conflict towards a NATO-Russian war (World War 3), and the precipitation of nuclear assets. This is why even France’s own Dassault assets and Sweden’s Saabs were not offered. F-16s are old enough, and used enough by non-NATO forces that this might be okay.

    A prolonged war, while incredibly tragic, might still be less costly than World War 3…

    • Kangie@lemmy.srcfiles.zip
      25·
      1 year ago

      I’m not an expert

      Clearly.

      Ukraine were to have access to F-18s, F-35s, or any NATO asset, it would implicate NATO

      Bullshit. Everything you just listed is in use by non-NATO countries. The primary drivers for “unlocking” new varieties of aid to Ukraine appear to be:

      • battlefield utility in the near future (javelin, himars/m270, western IFVs, tanks etc).
      • sending a message to that western support is locked in for the long term (repair facilities, announcements around reconstruction aid)

      the geo-political consequences of Ukraine having NATO weapons is enormous… … [It would] … further escalate the conflict towards a NATO-Russian war (World War 3), and the precipitation of nuclear assets.

      Russia has claimed that every single new weapons system delivered is “escalatory” and threatens nuclear war every single time. Please stop spreading their propaganda for them.

      This is why even France’s own Dassault assets and Sweden’s Saabs were not offered.

      Are you sure that it has to do with this and not the fact that there were more F-16s produced than each of the alternatives combined?