https://www.yahoo.com/news/ukrainian-f-1...01844.html
This article points out (once again) the difficulty of transitioning from Warsaw Pact era aircraft to F-16s and similar NATO aircraft. None of this is a surprise. Both Germany and Poland went through this evolution and concluded it was best to simply not do it. Let the pilots who flew MIGs keep doing so until both they and their aircraft were retired. Train new younger pilots to fly the younger NATO aircraft. They have nothing to "unlearn" and in any case you need a training pipeline. Your existing force is not your future force.
The F-16 "conversion" in Ukraine is not going well. The delivery of aircraft from the European sources is going slower than planned. No large increase in pilot training has taken place or is contemplated. Even if such training began in early 2025 the results would not be felt until near the end of 2025. Ukraine will apparently go through another year (at least) without an effective air force. The VKS is continually using glide bombs against Ukrainian positions (and cities in some cases) with little opposition. There are not and will not be anywhere near enough SAMs to stop them. While Ukraine is doing a great job of striking Russian air bases and ammunition storage points using their increasingly capable drone forces it remains to be seen how effective that will be. As of now, the VKS doesn't seem much affected. That isn't to say the cumulative effect is insignificant.
https://www.amarcexperience.com/ui/index...Itemid=274
FWIW the US has 342 F-16s preserved at Davis-Monthan. Of these, 143 are the "C" model which would be reasonable to use in Ukraine. The F-16AM/BM models Ukraine is receiving from other sources are somewhat similar to an F-16C (created by upgrade instead of "new built", +/-). This is in addition to the newer model currently flyable F-16s that are continually being replaced by F-35As in the active duty and reserve USAF squadrons. We have this hardware. We will have to pay contractors to "de-militarize" it or add it to AMARCs collection. IMO not sending it to Ukraine is just plain nuts. Every Ukrainian pilot trained in the US should go home with his "own" aircraft from the ANG until there are no more.
This article points out (once again) the difficulty of transitioning from Warsaw Pact era aircraft to F-16s and similar NATO aircraft. None of this is a surprise. Both Germany and Poland went through this evolution and concluded it was best to simply not do it. Let the pilots who flew MIGs keep doing so until both they and their aircraft were retired. Train new younger pilots to fly the younger NATO aircraft. They have nothing to "unlearn" and in any case you need a training pipeline. Your existing force is not your future force.
The F-16 "conversion" in Ukraine is not going well. The delivery of aircraft from the European sources is going slower than planned. No large increase in pilot training has taken place or is contemplated. Even if such training began in early 2025 the results would not be felt until near the end of 2025. Ukraine will apparently go through another year (at least) without an effective air force. The VKS is continually using glide bombs against Ukrainian positions (and cities in some cases) with little opposition. There are not and will not be anywhere near enough SAMs to stop them. While Ukraine is doing a great job of striking Russian air bases and ammunition storage points using their increasingly capable drone forces it remains to be seen how effective that will be. As of now, the VKS doesn't seem much affected. That isn't to say the cumulative effect is insignificant.
https://www.amarcexperience.com/ui/index...Itemid=274
FWIW the US has 342 F-16s preserved at Davis-Monthan. Of these, 143 are the "C" model which would be reasonable to use in Ukraine. The F-16AM/BM models Ukraine is receiving from other sources are somewhat similar to an F-16C (created by upgrade instead of "new built", +/-). This is in addition to the newer model currently flyable F-16s that are continually being replaced by F-35As in the active duty and reserve USAF squadrons. We have this hardware. We will have to pay contractors to "de-militarize" it or add it to AMARCs collection. IMO not sending it to Ukraine is just plain nuts. Every Ukrainian pilot trained in the US should go home with his "own" aircraft from the ANG until there are no more.