In an interview with Reuters on May 20, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky repeated his call for 120-130 F-16s to balance power with Moscow. The fighter jet could provide an upgrade to Ukraine’s aircraft inventory, which is currently running out of MiG-29s, Su-24s and Su-25s.
Russian Su-57 fighter
On the other hand, the defense website Defense Blog reported on May 15 that in the past month, the Russian military has deployed Su-57 aircraft to attack more than 6 times using Kh-69 cruise missiles, which have a range of about 400 km.
Although the F-16 has proven its reliability and versatility, experts say it would face significant challenges if put into a confrontation with Russia's most modern fighter, according to Newsweek . However, comparing the two aircraft may be unfair, due to the gap in development time.
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Su-57 has technological advantages
As an aircraft manufactured to be a counterweight to the US F-22 or F-35 "Raptor" fighter, the Su-57 - put into service by Russia in 2020 - is equipped with 6 radars, helping pilots detect long-range targets better.
According to Russian military documents, the Su-5 is capable of flying "twice the speed of sound" (equivalent to 2,500 km/hour), has a ceiling of 20 km and can fly nearly 3,000 km before refueling.
The fighter is also known as the “air arsenal” because it can be equipped with many types of weapons for each specific purpose. The Su-57 can carry R-77M air-to-air missiles with a range of nearly 200 km, bombs, air-to-ground missiles (like the Kh-69) or anti-ship missiles. The Su-57's weapon load is up to 14 - 16 tons, more than rival aircraft thanks to its design using composite materials. Although short-range air battles have almost disappeared today, the Russian fighter is still equipped with a 30 mm cannon.
However, Russia's limitation is that the number of Su-57s in service is quite small. According to the Bulgarian Military website, the Russian military does not publish exact figures, but information in recent years indicates that by the end of 2023, the Moscow Air Force may possess 20 fifth-generation fighters. The small number and high value force the Su-57 to operate far from the front line and take on the task of launching missiles, to avoid the risk of flying into the range of Ukrainian air defenses.
F-16: The world's most popular fighter
According to the aviation website AeroTime , born with the purpose of becoming a lighter and cheaper version of the F-15, the F-16, nicknamed “The Falcon,” has become the most popular fighter jet in the world. About 2,100 are equipped for the armies of more than 25 countries and are still “sold out,” with improved versions compared to the first product launched in 1978. This is also the fighter jet with the largest number in the US arsenal, with 841 units.
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The lightweight design has increased the F-16's versatility, as have improvements that have included upgraded radar and weapons systems. The F-16 can reach speeds comparable to the Su-57 and can fly more than 3,200 km with external fuel tanks, although it has a lower ceiling than the Russian fighter.
The F-16 is now being developed into a multi-role aircraft capable of operating in all weather conditions. Ukraine already has the AIM-9 Sidewinder short-range air-to-air missile and the advanced AIM-120 version in its arsenal. These weapons can complement the F-16s to help Ukraine intercept unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs), cruise missiles and glide bombs used by Moscow. In addition, the F-16 can help supplement Kyiv’s existing air defense system, which includes Soviet-era complexes, the Patriot missile defense system and the NASAMS air defense system.
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However, a report by the US General Accounting Office last year ranked the F-16 as one of the most difficult aircraft to maintain, which could pose a challenge for the Ukrainian military in having enough repair infrastructure in a conflict. It is also likely to be a priority target for Russia, so where to deploy and protect the F-16 is something Kyiv will have to consider. “It’s not going to be an immediate game changer,” said Mark Cancian, a senior adviser at the Center for Strategic and International Studies (CSIS) in the US.
Observers say it is unlikely that a Ukrainian F-16 will be able to reach the Su-57, and it is unlikely that the Russian military will take the risk of flying deep into the front line, but will prioritize deploying the Su-35 or MiG-29. However, when the aircraft provided by the West arrive in Ukraine, the situation of air defense and air force confrontation between the two sides will more or less change.
Source: https://thanhnien.vn/den-ukraine-f-16-co-doi-dau-tiem-kich-hien-dai-nhat-cua-nga-185240521124435302.htm
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