F-16 Fighter Jets for Ukraine: Too Little, Too Late?
The F-16 fighter's lack of stealth and the small number being sent may limit their strategic impact in Ukraine's efforts to push back against Russia's war of aggression.
Summary: Belgium joins NATO members pledging F-16s to Ukraine amidst the ongoing Russian invasion. The Netherlands, Denmark, and Greece also plan to deliver F-16s. Despite Ukraine's requests, a senior military official recently deemed the jets "no longer relevant" due to Russia's advanced surface-to-air missile systems like the S-400. The F-16s' lack of stealth and the small number being sent may limit their strategic impact.
Ukraine to Receive More F-16s from NATO Allies
Belgium is the latest NATO member-state to pledge it will provide F-16 fighter jets to Ukraine.
Amid the ongoing Russian invasion, Kyiv has often requested delivery of these fourth-generation jets. While the Biden administration initially refused to transfer the American-made platform to Ukraine, the White House changed course in 2023. The Netherlands and Denmark were the first countries to confirm they would train Ukrainian pilots to fly the Fighting Falcon. Denmark agreed to deliver 19 jets, while the Netherlands initially confirmed it would deliver 18. More recently, Greece announced its plans to provide the largest international supply of Fighting Falcons to Ukraine yet. As part of this deal, 32 Greek Fighting Falcons will be shipped to Kyiv later in 2024.
Ukraine’s existing fleet of airframes has struggled against Russia’s numerical superiority. Although Kyiv has requested F-16s for some time, a senior military official recently declared that the fighters were “no longer relevant” to the country’s war efforts. As detailed by The Defense Post, a high-ranking Ukrainian official said the arrival of these fighter jets was too little, too late.
A Brief Overview of the F-16
The Fighting Falcon has been a mainstay of the U.S. Air Force for nearly 40 years. The fourth-generation jet can stay in the air longer than enemy near-peers, thanks to its superior combat radius. The fighter has nine hardpoints for weapon payloads and can carry the AIM-9 Sidewinder, Raytheon AMRAAM, Raytheon Sparrow, and other air-to-air missiles. Air-to-surface missiles carried on the Fighting Falcon include Shrike, HARM and Maverick munitions.
With a long operational history in conflicts ranging from the First Gulf War to the Syrian Civil War, the F-16 remains the gold standard of fourth-generation platforms.
Arguments Against F-16s for Ukraine
Since F-16s do not possess stealth features, they will be overpowered in certain high-threat environments by Russia’s arsenal of more advanced surface-to-air missile systems like the S-400.
As detailed by a Heritage Foundation report, the S-400’s advanced capabilities would outclass the Fighting Falcons in every arena from detectability to missile range.
Additionally, the total number of F-16s expected to arrive in Ukraine is far too small to actually make a strategic difference in the conflict. As stated by a senior lecturer in law and war studies at Portsmouth University in the UK, the presence of F-16s fighters would serve as an “absolute magnet for Russian air defenses and Russian aircraft.”
About the Author: Maya Carlin
Maya Carlin, National Security Writer with The National Interest, is an analyst with the Center for Security Policy and a former Anna Sobol Levy Fellow at IDC Herzliya in Israel. She has by-lines in many publications, including The National Interest, Jerusalem Post, and Times of Israel. You can follow her on Twitter: @MayaCarlin.
All images are Creative Commons.
