- Trump’s latest moves in Ukraine endangered the future of F-16 fighter aircraft in Ukraine.
- Europe has some aircraft that suit Ukraine as well, or even better.
- But there are much fewer of these aircraft and change the type of jet now for Ukraine will be difficult.
The F-16S of the United States has been the first Western fighter planes to reach Ukraine, and since then they have helped defend the country against Russian air strikes.
But President Donald Trump ordered to stop US military aid to Ukraine last week, which means that Europe may need ways to fill the gaps, including in the air.
Europe, the home of the powerful allies of Ukraine, contains similarly suitable combat aircraft, but there are much fewer of them, and the transformation into these planes would cause a set of problems that Ukraine cannot carry.
Celebrates Ukraine
Ukraine began asking the F-16S immediately after Russia’s invasion in February 2022, and celebrated its first arrival in August 2024.
The planes, built by Lockheed Martin, but were provided with Ukraine by European allies in the country, have achieved some noticeable successes in Ukraine.
Peter Leiton, a fellow at the Griffiths Asia and former Australian Air Force officer, said that the F-16 in Ukraine shot down “many drones and cruise missiles”, as well as hitting ground targets near the battlefield.
Although air war experts say that Ukraine was not given enough to take over Russia near the front lines – or to change the wider direction of the war – it was effective air defenses.
Ukrainian President Voludmir Zelinski with the first F-16 fighter planes received by Ukraine on August 4, 2024.
Vitalii Nosach/Global Images Ukraine via Getty Images
Many Ukraine allies have more F-16S that they can offer, and Trump’s actions can be stimulated to send more. But since the American F-16s is made, Trump can prevent them from sending it to Ukraine.
European countries had to wait a long time for the US approval to send F-16s in the first place.
Lighton said the United States can also stop providing spare parts, so that the F-16 Fleet in Ukraine is “unbalanced.”
He added that European countries have a lot of spare parts, if the United States is blocking approval to transfer them, then European countries “will not be able to provide Ukraine.”
Europe alternatives
Ukraine already has some European aircraft: Mirage 2000s. But only a total of six they have It is said I have been committed so far.
These aircraft are useful for Ukraine, but not necessarily best suited for the type of fighting there.
The Gripen plane in Sweden, which SAAB, made widely, is the best suitability, even the best F-16. It is designed with fighting against Russia. As a result, it can take off from civil roads and easier to maintain it.
“At the level of the platform, the Swedish Griffin will be suitable for Ukraine’s requirements at almost every level, just a platform for the platform,” said Justin Bronk, a Rusi leading air force expert.
But none of these aircraft has been committed to Ukraine so far.
Europe also contains other aircraft, such as Eurofighter Typhoon, but they also did not commit.
Swedish Air Force Saab Jas 39 GRIPEN participates in NATO exercise.
John Tess/AFP via Getty Images
F-16s has been prepared
There is a big problem in the face of Ukraine, which is that its program is strongly directed towards the F-16S, and that the transformation into another type of jet plane would cause many problems.
When he was asked last month if Sweden was considering giving it Gripens, he told Pål Jonson, the Minister of Defense in Sweden, Business Insider that he was “suffering from a dialogue” with Ukraine and other countries in the Air Force Alliance, a group of allies committed to the help of Ukraine.
But he said, “It is difficult for the Ukrainians to absorb another fighter,” so Sweden was notified of focusing on sending air mobile devices that can provide driving and control the F-16s.
F-16s fly over the Air and Number defense system at an unknown location in Ukraine.
AP Photo/EFREM Lukatsky
Bronk said Griben can also serve Ukraine, or better, but “there is a lot that goes to what is going to date to get the F-16s in terms of training-not only the pilots, but the projects-and prepare all logistics services.”
He added, “You cannot quickly replace them.”
The problems of the bottleneck training were created in the introduction of planes into the air over Ukraine and change into a new type that creates a completely new set of requirements.
“With the new aircraft,” the main restriction is the pilots, and you cannot make fun of these within two weeks. “
He added that the important thing is not the differences between F-16s and European aircraft, but “the timeline, numbers and costs.”
There is also another problem related to European aircraft: there is much lower than each compared to F-16.
This is one of the main reasons that are seen on the F-16 as the most appropriate for Ukraine: there are many of them, in addition to a lot of spare parts and qualified people to work on.
George Barros, a Russian expert at the Institute of War Study, described the F-16 as “a kind of ideal model due to the extent of the regime’s diversity.”
He also said that Europe cannot train the largest number of pilots on aircraft such as Gripen because “less than two countries” is working on it.
Europe has pledged to continue to support Ukraine, but our loss in the United States requires a significant increase in spending, and some weapons will be more difficult to replace it.
Another type of jet type may be an option for Ukraine, if the F-16 is no longer available, but it is an option that comes with problems that Ukraine can tolerate.
