US Air Force Commander Comments on F-16 Impact in Ukraine
(Baonghean.vn) - US Air Force Commander Frank Kendall has poured cold water on the claim that the F-16 will have a significant impact in helping Ukraine defeat Russian forces, admitting that the US-made fighter jets will not be a "game changer" for Kiev.
The F-16s “will give the Ukrainians an increase in capability that they don’t have right now,” Kendall said Monday at an event in Washington. “But it’s not going to be a game changer in any way, I think, in terms of their overall military capability.”
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| F-16 fighter jet. Photo: AP |
Ukrainian officials have been trying for months to convince Western sponsors to provide F-16s, arguing that they would have a major impact in the conflict with Russia. Indeed, Ukrainian Air Force spokesman Yury Ignat said on Saturday that if Kiev added F-16s to its arsenal, “we will win this war.”
However, Mr Kendall said the US-made jets would not change the balance in the Russia-Ukraine conflict because effective air defence systems would prevent the aircraft from playing a major role in deciding the outcome. He admitted that providing the F-16s would be “considered by some as an escalation on our part”.
Mr Kendall said it would take at least several months to get the planes to Ukraine, but in any case the decision to provide them would help make a difference, reducing dependence on Soviet-made aircraft.
“Ukraine will remain an independent country. It will need a full set of military capabilities, so it is time to start thinking long-term about what that military will look like and what it will consist of,” he predicted.
The F-16 is not among the most advanced American fighter jets. The first version of the aircraft entered service in 1979.
Sharing the same view, an anonymous F-16 pilot assessed that the transfer of F-16 fighter jets to Ukraine will not significantly change the situation on the battlefield. According to CNN, in the case of Ukraine, it is possible to refer to the transfer of older versions of F-16s, which are owned by US allies, especially in Western Europe./.