Russia fears the F-16 and has already started the “F-16 hunt” in Ukraine. For the first time the F seriously challenges Russian air superiority

The F-16 Coalition for Ukraine is close to delivering its first fighter jets to Kiev, nearly 9 months after the West decided to support the Ukrainian war effort with F-16 aircraft. Belgium, Denmark, Norway and the Netherlands are among the countries that have pledged to donate F-16s.

At the same time, the first F-16 training center in Europe was built in Romania at Base 86 Borcea in record time. Basically, the Romanian center was transferred from Tucson, Arizona, United States of America by the Dutch side.

At the same time, Ukrainian pilots are training to fly the F-16 at military bases located in Denmark, the United States, Great Britain or Romania.

Three Royal Netherlands Air Force F-16 aircraft landing at Base 86 Borcea, Romania. Photo Source: Facebook page of the Romanian Air Force

At the Borcea Air Base, in addition to the Romanian pilots, Ukrainian pilots will also be trained who will fly the aircraft donated by the European states.

Russian President Vladimir Putin recently stated that “F-16s” will suffer the fate of Western tanks and will be shot down quickly, and if they take off from Western airfields they become legitimate targets, including NATO states.

But behind these belligerent declarations, the Russians certainly have emotions.

Russia has already started the F-16 hunt in Ukraine. The F challenges Russia’s air superiority in the air for the first time

Photos provided by the pilot of the Air Force of the Armed Forces under the callsign Phantom / via Voice of America Ukraine

We do not expect the F-16 to be a “game changer“. In addition to the number of aircraft, the armament of the aircraft will also be essential. In other words, the weapons that will be delivered on fighter jets.

Sandu Valentin Mateiu, reserve commander, political-military analyst, ex-Soviet space expert and former military attache of Romania in Chisinau, in an analysis he did for the Digi 24 station, emphasized the fact that the Russians are actually afraid of the delivery of Western aircraft.

Why? As for the first time since the invasion Russian air superiority will be seriously challenged by the Ukrainians. In this sense, Sandu Valentin Mateiu points out that the Russians have already started the hunt and the Russian strikes in the west of Ukraine target precisely air bases where F-16 planes could be deployed, a fact that shows that behind the public statements, the Western planes are a real threat to the Russian occupier .

“The message (no – to President Vladimir Putin regarding the threats that Russia will strike countries that will provide airfields to the Ukrainians) is primarily intended for the Russian public, but also for the West. (…) I am convinced that the Russian president, beyond the public discourse, had a serious discussion with Russian decision-makers about how to deal with this situation. Because F-16 on the battlefield in Ukraine will mean something. For the first time Russian air superiority will be challenged from the air. Beyond public statements this is the problem. Of course, President Putin has sent the message that it is foolish to think that Russia will attack a NATO state, but he was saying exactly the same thing about Ukraine two years ago. But at the moment Russia is busy proving Ukraine. We’ll see how the discourse changes if that happens, but let’s hope it doesn’t.

“It is at the limit of international law (hypothetical striking of the states that would provide the Ukrainians with airfields) and most likely Western countries will consider avoiding such a situation. After the transfer of F-16s to Ukraine they become a Ukrainian problem. There will be maintenance issues, but it will be the Ukrainians who will have to protect their air bases from where these planes will take off. Russia is already looking to strike Ukrainian air bases in western Ukraine. These bases will be hunted because, despite Vladimir Putin’s statements, the F-16 on the battlefield is a serious threat to Russian air superiority, even partial, in Ukraine“he concluded.

READ ALSO: A Romanian pilot reveals the first thing you feel when you switch from the MiG-21 LanceR to the F-16. All the pilots in the first series from Borcea have already flown the Fs

DefenseRomania App

Be the first to find out the most important news in the field with the DefenseRomania application. Download the DefenseRomania application from your Android (Play Store) or iOS (App Store) phone and you are always one click away from us