F-16 multirole fighter jet may become the main aircraft of the Air Force of Ukraine, as three countries – the Netherlands, Denmark, and Norway – pledged to send them as soon as Ukrainian pilots dispatched abroad for special training, will return home. Ukrainian commanders also reiterated their intention to rearm the military with F-16 as primary aircraft and a few JAS 39 Gripen as secondary.
In the meantime, the mentioned pilots will soon start flight training on F-16, and in light of potential alternatives, it would be interesting to hear what they could say about the F-15 as a theoretically good option for Ukraine. Defense Express director Serhii Zghurets asked this question to "Moonfish," a Ukrainian Air Force pilot who is currently in training in the United States.
Read more: Ukrainians Don't Waste Time and Start "Piloting" F-16 in Ukraine: How the Air Force Pilots Get Acquainted with Western Fighters Without Leaving Homeland
"The F-15 fighter is a very good combat aircraft and from a certain perspective – because Ukraine's territory is vast, – maybe it would be more suitable. But, first of all, the F-15, if we talk the C version of the fighter, not the fighter-bomber version, is after all an aircraft specialized in countering aerial targets. We, on the other hand, need sort of a 'Swiss knife' that is F-16," Moonfish said in an interview at Espreso TV.
He also emphasizes that despite the F-16 having a shorter combat radius compared to the F-15, it makes up for the flaw by being "capable of the entire spectrum of tasks that aviation is entrusted with in the West," the pilot says.\
Worth noting, that considering the current schedules of training and materiel deliveries, as well as official announcements from Western leaders, Ukraine is expected to get up to 42 jets from the Netherlands, 19 from Denmark, plus up to 12 more from Norway.
That means Ukraine's rearmament with Western aviation will take a while, because for one, the transfer will be divided into several deliveries, and also, the estimated minimum of multirole aircraft the country needs is 180 or at least 128 units.
With that in mind, the first F-16s that are expected to arrive in 2024 will most likely be engaged in anti-cruise missile patrolling in order to alleviate some of the pressure put on the ground-based air defense system, and once that is done, only then F-16 will start helping forces on the frontline with air support sorties.
Read more: Ukrainian Air Force Gives Update on Pilots' F-16 Training
