© Flickr/Lockheed MartinF-16 fighter jets
Any F-16 fighters the West sends to Kiev will be destroyed just like the tanks they have already delivered, Russian President Vladimir Putin said on Friday. In case they are based outside of Ukraine, that may lead to open war with NATO, he added.
Speaking at the St. Petersburg International Economic Forum (SPIEF), Putin described how the much-heralded Ukrainian offensive, using Western heavy equipment delivered for the purpose, was actually going.
"Tanks are burning. Among them are the Leopards. They burn. So will the F-16s. There is no doubt," the Russian president said.
© Russian Defence Ministry/TASSTanks and Bradley fighting vehicles destroyed in Ukraine, the first week of June, 2023
Comment: Apparently the jets are so sensitive, even pebbles on the runway can cause problems in landing. They could never cope with the dilapidated conditions of Ukraine's airbases. Plus the Russians would just bomb them. Hence they would likely be based in Poland. By hosting weapons being used in the conflict, Russia could potentially (and legitimately) claim the right to take them out. Does Poland want to paint such a target on itself?
Blinken: US 'looking actively' with Poland into sending fighter jets to Ukraine
These locations could then become a "prime target" for Russian strikes, former British military officer Frank Ledwidge told Newsweek. That could mean operating from bases well-known to Russian forces, which "makes them extremely vulnerable to attack on the ground," Curtis said.
Defending these bases then draws away Ukraine's missile systems from other areas of the front line, experts said, leading to hard choices about where to place the air defense systems.
But the need for smooth runways offers another potential pitfall, Justin Bronk, senior research fellow in airpower and technology at the Royal United Services Institute think tank in London, U.K., told Newsweek in March. F-16s, compared to jets more suited to uneven runways, would "suffer more in terms of wear and tear and potential accidents from being operated from rough surfaces compared to other jets," he said.
In case Kiev gets some F-16s and stations them at bases outside Ukraine, "we will need to look at how and where we can hit those assets used in combat operations against us," Putin said at SPIEF. "This is a serious danger of further dragging NATO into this armed conflict."
Moscow has repeatedly warned NATO that sending weapons to Kiev only prolongs the conflict and risks open confrontation. The US and its allies insist they are not a party to the hostilities, but only supplying Ukraine with money, weapons, ammunition, equipment, intelligence and advice in order to "defeat Russia."
Though the F-16s do not pose a serious challenge to the Russian air force, Moscow has raised concerns with the UN Security Council over their possible deployment because the planes are capable of carrying tactical nuclear bombs. Earlier this month, one influential US think-tank advocated giving such weapons to Ukraine.
If you look into it, the West delivers only jets beyond their operational lifespan. Old crap, literally. Because they know what happens.
Though the untold truth is, it does not matter of they send F-16, P-47, or F-35. All will be shot down by Russian air defense systems. Because a jet is always limited by the human pilot's maximum load, a proper designed missile will take it down.
Unless its also a piece of crap (otherwise called "Patriot").