A U.S. Air Force F-16 Fighting Falcon aircraft sits parked on flight line at MacDill Air Force Base, Sept. 8, 2021. (U.S. Air Force photo by Airman 1st Class Lauren Cobin)
Business Insider: Flying the F-16 in Ukraine is 'high risk,' and Kyiv's air forces can't just fly the fighter jet headlong into Russia's defenses
* Momentum is building for Ukraine to receive the F-16s it has long sought.
* If Kyiv's air forces get the jet as expected, they won't be able to fly them directly at Russian defenses.
* Airpower experts, including former pilots, say Ukraine will have to get creative.
Ukraine is a lot closer to getting US-made F-16s, but once it finally gets its hands on them, Kyiv's air force likely isn't going to be flying them into Russian-held territory or dogfighting with Russian fighters right out of the gate — at least not if it wants to keep them.
The jet can't risk going head-to-head against the Russian military's more modern systems, like its air superiority fighters and the formidable S-400 air defense system, not without weakening them first. "And nobody's advocating for that," an air power expert told Insider. "That's nuts."
Read more ....
Update #1: F-16s are heading to Ukraine - but will they pose a credible threat to the Russian Air Force? (SKY News)
Update #2: How Can Ukraine Use the F-16? Retired USAF Generals and F-16 Pilots Explain. (Air & Space Forces)
WNU Editor: Deploying these F-16s are not going to be cheap .... '$2B for 10 Aircraft': Pentagon Looks to Allies to Fund Ukraine F-16 Training (Military.com).