How is the United States helping Ukraine secure fighter aircraft?

Washington has once again been subjected to pressure from European allies and leaders of Ukraine and has agreed to offer more sophisticated weapons to assist in Kiev's war efforts.

This time it's about F-16 jets.

Ukraine has long demanded that sophisticated aircraft be offered as Russia continues its conquest of this country, which is now in the second year. And this new plan opens the door for some countries to supply Ukraine with fourth-generation aircraft and the US to provide assistance to train pilots. US President Joe Biden has presented the deal to world leaders during the Hiroshima summit in Japan.

So far, the US has not offered details and said that when, who and how many F-16s will be provided to Ukraine, training is expected to be public in the coming months.

Details related to training are also few. American officials, who spoke on condition of anonymity, said that details of this plan still cannot be made public.

With this decision, however, the Biden administration has made a major turn, as in advance for more than a year it had refused to approve any shipment of aircraft or offer training, due to concerns that something like this could escalate tensions with Russia. American officials have also argued against sending F-16s, saying training pilots on how to operate with these advanced butterflies, but logistical support, would be a difficult process that would take several months.

You can learn more about these planes and why the U.S. had initially hesitated to send them, but also what is known and what is not about the new decision.

Why does Ukraine want F-16s?

Ukraine has pressured Western aircraft to take over during the first phase of the war, insisting that sophisticated aircraft would advance in war and enable them to strike Russian forces.

Almost a year ago, two Ukrainian air pilots, who asked to identify themselves with the nicknames of the war “Molonfish” and “Juice”, met with reporters in Washington to convince Ukraine why it was important to take American-made F-16 aircraft - stressing that these kinds of aircraft have advanced radar, sensors and greater missile capabilities.

In February, Ukraine's Defence Minister Olexiy Reznikov held the picture of a plane when he was asked in Brussels what military assistance his state needs. Earlier this month, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky, during a visit he conducted to Germany, called on allies to form a “coalization for fighter planes”, which would enable Ukraine to have warplanes necessary to counter the dominance Russia has in heaven.

Ukrainian leaders have argued that F-16s are much superior to the Soviet-era fleet of aircraft, which Ukraine is currently in use. In response to these requirements, the United States has found other ways to help Ukraine, granting it advanced military skills, but not aircraft.

For example, engineers in the U.S. Air Force have found ways to modify land-air rockets. The ERM, so this kind of weapon can be carried and released by Ukraine's MiG aircraft. This missile and target system, it enables planes to identify enemy Earth radars and destroy them.

Why did the United States hesitate?

For months, whenever American officials were publicly questioned starting in Beden and other lower officials had consistently refused to send F-16s to Ukraine. Similarly, the US had refused to allow other states to export their own Falcons planes to Ukraine.

Last week, Zelensky reiterated his desire to have F-16s and other models. Also, early last week, National Security Council spokesman John Kirby was asked if the US had changed its stance on F-16s, but he responded “yo”.

In recent months, Biden had been questioned several times about the matter, and he had also refused to authorize the delivery of F-16 aircraft. Earlier this year, when asked why he refuses to send them, Biden replied: “because we have to keep these planes here”

US officials at the Pentagon had insisted that the military assistance the US was giving Ukraine was based on what state needed most to carry out the war. Therefore, the emphasis has been placed on sending air defence systems and on millions of rockets, but also on ammunition as Ukraine prepares for the great spring counteroffensive.

Another important reason for this refusal is the constant concern that sending these combat aircraft to Ukraine would anger the Russians, provoke Russian President Vladimir Putin, and would likely escalate the war.

Why did the American attitude change?

Despite these concerns, the US has consistently testified that during the war it may change its mind.

At first, the US had hesitated to send Patriot missile systems, long-range missiles or tanks to Ukraine. In each case, Washington changed its stance after pressure from allies and agreed to send ever more advanced weapons.

One of the last examples was that of sending M1A1 Abrams tanks. For months, the U.S. declared Abrams tanks to be very complicated and required much logistical support to be used by Ukrainian troops. But, after increasing pressure from European states that wanted to send Ukraine their tanks, the US was finally paid to send 31 Abrams tanks to Ukraine. Training for the use of these tanks is expected to start soon.

Approval for F-16 has been a long and slow process. Despite public pressure for months there was no movement regarding the F-16 aircraft issue, and the Pentagon in March brought two Ukraine Air Force pilots to the National Guard base in Tuskon, Arizona, to familiarise them with F-16 planes and to show you how pilots train for these planes.

American officials had refused to discuss this event publicly, but in private they had claimed that two Ukrainian pilots flew F-16s and realized how training was done. The U.S. Air Force already received information on how long it would take for an experienced Ukrainian pilot to learn to fly F-16s and other advanced systems. Officials concluded that such training could take place in about four months if only the pilots were trained to operate on their Soviet-era aircraft.

What is not yet known?

According to US officials, Biden told leaders in Japan that the US will participate in F-16 training, and the decision to supply Ukraine with these kinds of aircraft would be made later.

Officials still said it is not clear whether the US will simply allow other states to send F-16s to Ukraine, or even the US itself will send such aircraft. There are still no estimates of how many planes will be offered or when. Officials who have knowledge of the issue said that there is no time for these planes to get involved in Ukrainian counteroffensives during the spring.

While officials said training will start soon, it is still not clear where they will be held, how many pilots will be trained and how long the process will last.

The U.S. Air Force has two fleets in Europe - one in Italy and one in Germany. The US consistently sends F-16s to Europe bases. / REL