The U.S. is boosting support for Ukraine by arming F-16 fighter jets with American-made missiles and other advanced weaponry as they prepare for combat, The Wall Street Journal reported. The Pentagon has initiated the “Jumpstart” initiative, which allows European countries to pool their resources to purchase necessary air-launched weapons from the U.S., preserving their own defense inventories while bolstering Ukraine’s military capabilities.
Denmark and the Netherlands are scheduled to deliver the first batch of these American-made jets this summer. Belgium and Norway expected to follow shortly after.
However, supplying and deploying these jets is only the beginning. A significant challenge remains in training Ukrainian pilots to operate the F-16s and maintaining the jets in a combat-ready state. With the ongoing need for experienced pilots at the frontlines, the extensive training required poses a problem.
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Pilot training demands a year-long commitment, starting with four months of intensive English lessons in Britain to master key aviation terminology, followed by hands-on aircraft training.
It remains uncertain how Ukraine will use the F-16 fighter jets against Russian forces. Although Washington restricts the use of these weapons within Russian territory, recommending their use for close-air support to combat ground threats at the frontlines, European officials argue the jets could significantly enhance air defense by pushing back the Russian air force, which frequently launches glide bombs with devastating effects.
Tags: F-16 fighter jets, Missile Strike, missiles, Russia, Russian Defense Ministry, The Pentagon, Ukraine, Ukraine Defense Ministry
[RYAN ROBERTSON]
UKRAINE SHOULD BE FLYING F-16S SOON–AND IT LOOKS LIKE THOSE JETS WILL BE ARMED WITH SOME PRETTY ADVANCED U-S WEAPONRY.
THE WALL STREET JOURNAL IS REPORTING THE U.S. WILL ARM DOZENS OF F-16 FIGHTER JETS WITH AIR-TO-GROUND MUNITIONS AND PRECISION-GUIDED BOMBS — RESOLVING A LONG-STANDING ISSUE ABOUT HOW THESE AIRCRAFT WILL BE SUPPORTED IN THEIR ONGOING CONFLICT WITH RUSSIA.
TO STREAMLINE THIS PROCESS, THE PENTAGON LAUNCHED THE “JUMPSTART” INITIATIVE — ENABLING EUROPEAN NATIONS TO POOL RESOURCES TO BUY NECESSARY WEAPONS FROM THE U.S. — PRESERVING THEIR DEFENSE INVENTORIES WHILE BOLSTERING UKRAINE.
DENMARK AND THE NETHERLANDS ARE SET TO DELIVER THE FIRST BATCH OF AMERICAN-MADE F-16S THIS SUMMER — BELGIUM AND NORWAY ARE GOING TO SEND SOME TOO–BUT IN SEVERAL BATCHES.
ARMING AND GETTING THE JETS TO UKRAINE IS JUST THE BEGINNING, HOWEVER. ANOTHER MAJORCHALLENGE LIES IN TRAINING UKRAINIAN PILOTS AND GROUND CREWS TO HANDLE THE F-16S–KEEPING THE JETS READY FOR COMBAT.
GIVEN THE NEED FOR EXPERIENCED PILOTS AT THE FRONT LINES, EXTENSIVE TRAINING PERIODS ARE PROBLEMATIC.
EVEN IN STREAMLINED CONDITIONS–TRAINING UKRAINIAN PILOTS TO FLY F-16S IS STILL A YEAR-LONG COMMITMENT — STARTING WITH FOUR MONTHS OF INTENSIVE ENGLISH LESSONS TO LEARN ESSENTIAL AVIATION TERMS — FOLLOWED BY HANDS-ON AIRCRAFT TRAINING.
AND AT THIS POINT — IT’S STILL UNCERTAIN HOW UKRAINE WILL DEPLOY ITS F-16 FIGHTER JETS AGAINST RUSSIAN FORCES. LIKE OTHER WEAPONS SYSTEMS SENT TO UKRAINE, WASHINGTON IS GOING TO PUT RESTRICTIONS ON HOW UKRAINE USES THE F-16 ARMAMENTS AGAINST THE RUSSIANS — SUGGESTING THEY’RE BEST USED FOR CLOSE-AIR SUPPORT TO COMBAT GROUND THREATS AT THE FRONT LINES — THE EUROPEANS TAKE A DIFFERENT VIEW.
THEY ARGUE THE F-16S COULD SIGNIFICANTLY UKRAINE’S BOLSTER AIR DEFENSE, PUSHING BACK THE RUSSIAN AIR FORCE, WHICH ARE CURRENTLY USING GLIDE BOMBS TO DEVASTATING EFFECTS IN HEAVILY OCCUPIED PORTIONS OF UKRAINE
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