However, a US general said the F-16 is not the ideal vehicle for Ukraine amid the current conflict.
Not the time to send F-16
The Kyiv Independent newspaper quoted General Douglas Sims at the US Joint Chiefs of Staff, saying on July 14 that the combat environment is certainly changing over time. However, current conditions are not "ideal" for using the F-16.
Weeks into the offensive, Ukraine still lacks air superiority and is fighting against a formidable Russian ground defense system, including intricate networks of barbed wire, sprawling trenches, minefields, and anti-tank fortifications. Clearing these is a slow, laborious, and extremely dangerous process for Ukrainian soldiers, who also face Russian forces, from infantry to formidable air defenses, according to Business Insider.
Ukrainian soldiers fight near Bakhmut, Donetsk province on July 13.
Russia has demonstrated its ability to gain superiority over the Ukrainian air force due to disparities in a number of categories, including missile and radar performance, electronics, technical capabilities, and overall force size. Even with F-16s, Ukraine would struggle in air combat against Russian fighters such as the Su-35 and MiG-31, which are equipped with advanced radars and unique combat capabilities.
Moscow has also deployed advanced air defense systems like the S-400 that are capable of targeting and taking out F-16s at long ranges and high altitudes. “Russia still has some air defense capabilities. They have air capabilities. And the number of F-16s that are going to be provided may not be perfect for what’s going on right now,” Sims added.
Will the Abrams tank fit?
While questions remain about the F-16, General Sims said the Abrams tanks the US is sending to Ukraine will certainly make a significant difference on the battlefield. The tanks are expected to be delivered to Kyiv’s forces by the end of the year.
Earlier this year, the Pentagon planned to buy new M1A2 Abrams tanks for Ukraine, but then changed its mind and decided to send older M1A1 variants because they were available in stock and would shorten the delivery time. Hundreds of Ukrainian soldiers are currently undergoing training in operating Abrams in Germany, which is expected to end later this summer.
US M1A1 Abrams tanks were delivered to Poland in June.
“The Abrams will definitely make a difference on the battlefield. I mean, we know it's a phenomenal tank. The training that's going on right now will make [the Ukrainians] extremely good at using them,” said General Sims.
The Abrams tanks are part of a security assistance package worth more than $41.3 billion that the US has committed to Ukraine since the beginning of the conflict. This type of tank has been continuously upgraded and used in combat. The capabilities of the Abrams are said to be superior to the Soviet-made T-72 tanks, according to Warrior Maven.
Newsweek magazine also cited further evidence that the power of American tanks is superior to that of Russia. Several videos from the battlefield in Ukraine recorded the scene of a Russian T-90 tank exploding after being "attacked" by an anti-tank missile from the air. This proves that Russian tanks do not have a 360-degree active protection system, according to the magazine.
However, all of the above statements are still speculative, because the effectiveness of the Abrams against similar Russian weapons is still an open question, because this type of vehicle has not yet been put into combat.
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