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F-16 fighter jets ‘no longer relevant’, says Ukrainian military official (www.yahoo.com)
submitted 7 months ago by multitotal@lemmygrad.ml to c/worldnews@lemmygrad.ml
30 comments fedilink hide all child comments

Before their arrival, the Western warplanes had been held up by some as a potential war-winner that could turn the tide of the conflict in Kyiv’s favour.

“Often, we just don’t get the weapons systems at the time we need them – they come when they’re no longer relevant,” a Ukrainian high-ranking officer told the Politico news website.

“Every weapon has its own right time. F-16s were needed in 2023; they won’t be right for 2024.”

L M A O

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[-] GaryLeChat@lemmygrad.ml 47 points 7 months ago

Here's your chance comrades! It's time to guess what the next wonder weapon that wins the war will be!!

[-] Shrike502@lemmygrad.ml 29 points 7 months ago

Minutemen nuclear missile

[-] yogthos@lemmygrad.ml 22 points 7 months ago

Nuland will personally ride it down Dr. Strangelove style.

[-] Shrike502@lemmygrad.ml 9 points 7 months ago

Don't give me hope

[-] multitotal@lemmygrad.ml 26 points 7 months ago

Taurus missiles, of course. G*rman engineering.

[-] supersolid_snake@lemmygrad.ml 14 points 7 months ago

A nafo redditor loaded into a catapult.

[-] multitotal@lemmygrad.ml 7 points 7 months ago

I can see it now: "You're sure to make the front page, fella! Godspeed!"

[-] MeowZedong@lemmygrad.ml 35 points 7 months ago

These articles are a health hazard. If my eyes roll any harder, they'll end up permanently stuck facing the back of my head.

[-] DankZedong@lemmygrad.ml 35 points 7 months ago

But according to Dutch libs Ukraine will win the war with the two and a half F16s we are going to send!

[-] bennieandthez@lemmygrad.ml 31 points 7 months ago

Lol meanwhile argentina is buying all of them

[-] multitotal@lemmygrad.ml 25 points 7 months ago

Milei is the new "libertarian" (read: neoliberal) darling.

[-] ShimmeringKoi@hexbear.net 30 points 7 months ago

Those jet fighters are so last year

[-] funky_tomatoe@lemmygrad.ml 9 points 7 months ago

F-16s are so pre 9/11

[-] TankieReplyBot@lemmygrad.ml 2 points 7 months ago

I found a YouTube link in your comment. Here are links to the same video on alternative frontends that protect your privacy:

[-] oscardejarjayes@hexbear.net 27 points 7 months ago

If you don't want them, can I have them?

[-] aaaaaaadjsf@hexbear.net 26 points 7 months ago

Will Ukraine ever actually get the F-16s? Russian air defences have been preparing for their arrival. Would be ironic if all that work was done for nothing.

[-] multitotal@lemmygrad.ml 24 points 7 months ago

Ukraine doesn't have the know-how or logistics to maintain F-16s, hence the long waiting period. Any airfields in Ukraine with F-16s are likely to get struck and destroyed quickly by Russia.

It is a repeat of the Leopard, Challenger, Abrams tanks. The West postponed sending them as long as possible because they knew they'd get destroyed and wouldn't live up to the hype. But boy did the hype feel good.

I'm guessing they're negotiating for Poland to fix/maintain F-16s to then transport them back to Ukraine because no way will they actually take-off and land in Poland. They do the same with Leopard tanks and Caesar SPGs, they get shipped to the EU for repairs. I imagine Poland is being difficult about it because of the protests and the unpopularity of supporting Ukraine military among the Polish population, hence the delay.

All of these deals and arrangements happen behind closed doors.

[-] PolandIsAStateOfMind@lemmygrad.ml 20 points 7 months ago

I’m guessing they’re negotiating for Poland to fix/maintain F-16s

Poland can't even maintain their own F16's, because the deal with US was so shitty that most of things above routine maintenance has to be done by US personnel and parts are apparently so expensive that around half up to 2/3rd are unable to flight with many being cannibalised for parts.

[-] ComradeSalad@lemmygrad.ml 13 points 7 months ago* (last edited 7 months ago)

Would they even face Russian air defense? F-16’s are fast and nimble interceptors and area defense fighters, meaning they would be in the rear defending against Russian CAS, bombers, cruise missiles, and drones. They are more a defensive weapon then an offensive one, and their offensive capabilities are not that strong since that’s not their foray. Yes you can strap bombs to them, but that’s not their purpose.

[-] Kaplya@hexbear.net 10 points 7 months ago* (last edited 7 months ago)

How can F-16s engage without getting into Russian air defense range?

Mavericks air to ground has a 20km range. AMRAAM air to air is about 100km.

A Russian S-400 has 400km operational range. At the start of the war, a S-400 in south Belarus turned on its radar for a few minutes and shot down a Ukrainian MiG-29 all the way in Kyiv, which then crashed into an apartment building and the Ukrainians proceeded to blame the Russians for targeting civilian structures.

[-] keepcarrot@hexbear.net 2 points 7 months ago

Big fans of watching what Israel is doing and giving it a whirl

[-] CicadaSpectre@lemmygrad.ml 25 points 7 months ago

They're irrelevant because the Ghost of Kyiv is single handedly trashing Russia's air force. /s

[-] EmmaGoldman@hexbear.net 24 points 7 months ago

Bro gimme some of them F-35s bro. Bro you have Israel some do you like them more than me or something bro? Bro come on bro I just need like 20 bro. Bro come on I'm not gonna ask for anything else bro.

[-] Kaplya@hexbear.net 8 points 7 months ago* (last edited 7 months ago)

F-16s are not going to help. They need state-of-the-art F-35 stealth multirole fighters if they want to have a chance.

The US has more than 700 F-35s, and the Ukrainians need to have access to as many of them as possible for a coordinated strike to stand a chance against Russia.

[-] NikkiB@lemmygrad.ml 12 points 7 months ago

I'm not sure that Ukraine has the infrastructure needed to support any number of f-35s, especially not since the Russians have bombed all their runways.

[-] NuraShiny@hexbear.net 10 points 7 months ago

I agree, not even the US does.

[-] NikkiB@lemmygrad.ml 8 points 7 months ago

I guess this is what lend-lease is for. Could work if it wasn't too late. It's a war zone now.

this post was submitted on 04 Apr 2024
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