In 2024, the Armed Forces of Ukraine will only be able to use no more than 10 of the F-16 fighters provided Western at any one time, according to a New York Times (NYT) assessment.
The NYT said that Ukrainian pilots were currently “getting used to conducting operations on a small scale,” but have not yet engaged in combat with Russian forces.
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It added that “Ukrainian officials have warned that delays in deliveries of the F-16s could diminish the jets’ effect on the battlefield, giving Russia time to adapt its tactics.” added.
It is estimated that only about 20 Ukrainian pilots are currently able to fly the aircraft, which will allow Ukraine to deploy only about 10 F-16s in combat, given that two pilots are needed for each plane to maintain operations.
What we know about the F-16s in Ukraine
On Sunday August 4, Ukraine’s President Volodymyr Zelensky confirmed the arrival of F-16 fighter aircraft to Ukraine, without specifying the numbers involved, their locations and operational tasks.
The President confirmed that the transfers to Ukraine had taken place to coincide with the country’s Air Force Day celebrations.
Bloomberg had previously reported on the arrival of a small number of the fighters on July 31, which The Times said, citing its own source, amounted to 6 of the F-16s received from the Netherlands.
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