Pilots Say F-16s Can Help Ukraine But Missiles Could Down Them
- US-made fighters are vulnerable to latest Russian missiles
- Veteran pilots say jets won’t be game changer Ukraine claims
Source: US Air Force/AP Photo
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The F-16 jets that the Ukrainian military is touting as a potential gamechanger in its conflict with Russia will either be restricted to defense or deployed in very high-risk operations, according to people who’ve flown the planes in combat.
The General Dynamics Corp fighter-bombers will be a significant upgrade on the Soviet-era planes that Ukrainian pilots have been flying so far. But the F-16s that are likely to be sent to Ukraine will still have inferior radar and shorter range missiles that the most modern Russian jets and air defenses.