PARIS (Dispatches) - Ukraine has received a first batch of U.S.-built F-16 fighter jets to help it fight Russian forces, Lithuania’s foreign minister and a U.S. official have said.
The long-awaited arrival is a milestone for Ukraine. The lengthy process to procure the U.S.-designed aircraft and train Ukrainian pilots to fly them has frustrated Kyiv.
Russia has had time to prepare defenses to try to nullify the F-16s’ impact, and Ukraine has had to survive with a depleted air force a fraction of the size and sophistication of its enemy’s.
Here are some facts about how the F-16s may help Ukraine and what obstacles still lie in the way of effective deployment.
The number of delivered F-16s appears to be small for now. The Times of London cited a source familiar with the matter who put the figure at just six aircraft.
That number is expected to grow, but it is far short of what military analysts say Ukraine needs more than 29 months.
Serhii Kuzan, chairman of the Ukrainian Security and Cooperation Center, a non-governmental research group, said at least 60 planes would be needed for significant operations as Ukraine attempts to push Russian aviation back from its borders.
While the pilots gain experience in Ukrainian skies and the military builds out its air infrastructure, the initial deliveries could at least help Ukraine strengthen its air shield, some experts say.
Russia has intensified its attacks on infrastructure that could be used for the maintenance and deployment of F-16s, some experts said.
“Russia is striking all airfields, potential F-16 bases, every day, including attempts to damage airstrips and infrastructure. These strikes have not paused for the last two months, at least,” Kuzan said.
The targets will become all the more valuable when the aircraft, pilots and maintenance teams arrive. This is likely to force Ukraine to install missile defenses to protect them, even though it is short of both air defense systems and ammunition.
“We have to accept the fact that the airfields will be well-protected when civilian objects could be under attack,” Kuzan said, adding that each base would need at least two Patriot and two NASAMS batteries to secure it.
On early Wednesday, Ukraine experienced one of the largest drone attacks since its conflict with Russia started, the country’s Air Force said in a statement.
Russia launched 89 drones at Ukraine from different directions and the air defense intercepted all of them, the statement said.
More than 40 drones were shot down over the Ukrainian capital and its outskirts, where the attack lasted for seven hours, said the Kiev City Military Administration.