Depending on the configuration, price of one Lockheed Martin F-16 Fighting Falcon varies from $12 million to $35 million.
Then: 10 F-16s lost in one afternoon in confused fray in Ukraine.
Biden: Open the taxpayers’ wallets again.
Sounds about right the way things are going.
I guess the other goal is to wear down everyones fighter supplies.
There’s a play. These #ing clowns couldn’t be anymore obvious
It depends on what they are used for. The best use case for them I’ve seen so far is to use their AMRAAMs to supplement Ukrainian SAM’s. The F-16’s, depending on the model, have effective look down shoot down capability which should be effective vs Russian cruise missiles.
AMRAAMs are available in large numbers, unlike S300’s. And in such an operation the F16s should be able to operate in most of Ukraine without worrying much about getting targeted by Russian SAMs and interceptors.
What the Ukrainians actually want to use them for I don’t know. But the above should be effective.
If we had a look at the stocks the Lords & Ladies in The District of Corruption had purchased over the past few months, it would tell us a lot.
Maybe a quick check of General Dynamics stock would give us an idea if The Government and/or NATO will be sending F-16s and instructors to Ukraine.
And “third party” transfers are prohibited and require US approval before they can ship to Ukraine.
And setting up the logistical supply train is a huge undertaking, oh, and jumping from one jet to another isn’t like swapping cars. Each jet type has completely different systems and performance characteristics. Takes long time for the pilots to learn the systems and learn to fly it.
The Luftwaffe and Japan Self-Defense Forces had extra Patriot batteries after the end of the Cold War and sold some to South Korea, with U.S. approval. The U.S., and likely other NATO forces are reducing the mix of tanks in their armies (the Marines no longer use them) because of, well think Javelin, precision strike weapons. NATO and the U.S. are fielding new aircraft, the older models are mothballed or used for the reserves. Except for precision strike weapons like HIMARS and Javelin, Ukraine is not getting the latest and best weapons. But they are fighting a third world power with Nukes.
The F-16 is primarily an interceptor, and not a particularly good ground attack fighter. Sure, it can be used in that role; but, it is not the best choice. How many Russian aircraft would it be intercepting? I don’t recall this being an air war.