Free Republic
Browse · Search
News/Activism
Topics · Post Article

Skip to comments.

F-16 training for Ukrainian pilots faces delays and uncertainty
The Washington Post ^ | Aug 11, 2023 | Isabelle Khurshudyan , Emily Rauhala and Missy Ryan

Posted on 08/10/2023 11:51:16 PM PDT by McGruff

A first group of six Ukrainian pilots is not expected to complete training on the U.S.-made F-16 before next summer, senior Ukrainian government and military officials said, following a series of delays by Western partners in implementing an instruction program for the sophisticated fighter jet.

The timeline reflects the disconnect between Ukraine’s supporters, who envision F-16s as a key tool in the country’s long-term defense, and Kyiv, which has desperately requested that the jets reach the battle space as soon as possible, viewing them as critical for the current fight against occupying Russian forces.

President Biden, after denying Ukrainian appeals for the F-16 for more than a year, reversed course in May and said he backed the idea of training Ukrainian pilots on the jets, and supported the transfer of the planes by other countries.

(Excerpt) Read more at washingtonpost.com ...


TOPICS: Foreign Affairs; News/Current Events; Ukraine; War
KEYWORDS: tothelastukrainian; wasteofmen; wasteoftime
Navigation: use the links below to view more comments.
first previous 1-2021-4041-6061-8081-86 next last
To: Reno89519
Delayed until no longer needed, once the Russian-Ukraine civil war is over.

Civil war?


21 posted on 08/11/2023 4:06:12 AM PDT by tlozo ( Better to Die on Your Feet than Live on Your Knees )
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 2 | View Replies]

To: popdonnelly
Pathetic. This Administration slow-walks everything.

Yup, not providing ATACMS is ridiculous when England and France are supplying long range missiles like Storm Shadow.

22 posted on 08/11/2023 4:15:11 AM PDT by tlozo ( Better to Die on Your Feet than Live on Your Knees )
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 18 | View Replies]

To: buwaya
nd SEAD (suppression of enemy air defense) is not just some fighters flying over with HARM, its a complex multilayered system.

Thank you. We are talking 6 fighters here. Who here thinks the S-400 system is not designed to take down the older genertaion of US strike aircraft in the face of SEAD? Russian army doctrine is that they have to fight withtout air dominance and in fact may have to fight when the enemy has air dominance because they are not idiots and have paid attention to how the US has fought wars like since WWII when we had air superiority over Normandy before D-Day.

23 posted on 08/11/2023 4:22:25 AM PDT by AndyJackson
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 11 | View Replies]

To: McGruff
A first group of six Ukrainian pilots is not expected to complete training on the U.S.-made F-16 before next summer

This has always been a Nuland suicide mission.

24 posted on 08/11/2023 4:25:25 AM PDT by JonPreston ( ✌ ☮️ )
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

To: MachIV
IMG-8157
25 posted on 08/11/2023 4:26:15 AM PDT by Phoenix8
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 3 | View Replies]

To: tlozo
Yup, not providing ATACMS is ridiculous

So why have you been cheering the bloodbath for a year and a half?

26 posted on 08/11/2023 4:26:49 AM PDT by JonPreston ( ✌ ☮️ )
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 22 | View Replies]

To: AndyJackson

Exactly my point. They aren’t going to be used where the S400’s are going to have a shot at them. I noted various likely uses for them. There are ultimately going to be a lot more than 6 though.


27 posted on 08/11/2023 4:43:28 AM PDT by buwaya (Strategic imperatives )
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 23 | View Replies]

To: tlozo

ATACMs are likely to be useful in Asia and the Pacific.
They are going to be a primary weapons system of the USMC.
They are already deployed in the Philippines.


28 posted on 08/11/2023 4:46:27 AM PDT by buwaya (Strategic imperatives )
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 22 | View Replies]

To: McGruff
How many of these Ukrainian pilots are defecting and neither the U.S. nor the Ukraine government is saying anything about it?

Long before this war, young Ukrainians in particular wanted Ukraine to join the European Union, not to improve Ukraine, but so they could get their EU work cards and get out of there.

29 posted on 08/11/2023 4:52:55 AM PDT by T.B. Yoits
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

To: buwaya
ATACMs are likely to be useful in Asia and the Pacific. They are going to be a primary weapons system of the USMC.

There is no lack of ATACMS, they were sent to Poland.

Poland receives first HIMARS with ATACMS missiles this Monday- May 14, 2023

https://www.technology.org/2023/05/14/poland-receives-himars-with-atacms-missiles/

30 posted on 08/11/2023 4:53:35 AM PDT by tlozo ( Better to Die on Your Feet than Live on Your Knees )
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 28 | View Replies]

To: MachIV

It’s not remotely “lost”.

Now, they may have to give up chuck of Crimea, but Russia can’t advance in any material way.

It’s on its path to becoming another Korea.


31 posted on 08/11/2023 5:02:05 AM PDT by Jewbacca (The residents of Iroquois territory may not determine whether Jews may live in Jerusalem.)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 3 | View Replies]

To: buwaya

All the electronics are new.

The airframes are dated and the engine is not the finest.


32 posted on 08/11/2023 5:03:53 AM PDT by Jewbacca (The residents of Iroquois territory may not determine whether Jews may live in Jerusalem.)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 11 | View Replies]

To: SpokeshaveReturns

The F16 does not need a particularly good runway.

I’ve landed and taken off on dirt.


33 posted on 08/11/2023 5:05:19 AM PDT by Jewbacca (The residents of Iroquois territory may not determine whether Jews may live in Jerusalem.)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 13 | View Replies]

To: Phoenix8

you are now posting fake photos?


34 posted on 08/11/2023 5:10:03 AM PDT by ansel12 ((NATO warrior under Reagan, and RA under Nixon, bemoaning the pro-Russians from Vietnam to Ukraine.))
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 25 | View Replies]

To: McGruff
You need volunteers? He can fly
IMG-5736
35 posted on 08/11/2023 5:23:33 AM PDT by The Louiswu (PEDO JOE MUST GO!!!)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

To: ansel12

I don’t know it’s fake or not. I just saw it and posted.

It was first published in 2014. From a web search:

https://highkixx.files.wordpress.com/2011/08/6a00d8341ca4b653ef014e89296fd6970d-800wi.jpg

How do you know it’s NOT fake?


36 posted on 08/11/2023 5:26:34 AM PDT by Phoenix8
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 34 | View Replies]

To: Phoenix8

It does appear to be altered I will admit….


37 posted on 08/11/2023 5:27:57 AM PDT by Phoenix8
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 36 | View Replies]

To: A strike
So according to your expertise F-16s could be a game changer in the Ukraine-Russia proxxy war.

He’s correct in his assessment of the F-16’s utility in the war. Not sure why you feel the need to introduce the ‘game changer’ strawman.

But there are a lot of drawbacks, mainly logistical, to trying to introduce the F-16 to combat in theater. USAF operates off of an absolutely massive tanker fleet to reach and maintain time on station. USAF has the parts and maintenance tail to keep F-16s in the air. Not to mention the SEAD umbrella mentioned by others.

Likewise I suppose your expertise will project a similar effect when US/NATO forces are introduced.

That would be an entirely different animal. You’d have the USAF and USN air fleets conducting SEAD and attriting the Russian air defenses to dust over a period of weeks. Then you’d see a combined arms battle where the US focused its unparalleled conventional precision firepower on any opposition strongpoints in support of Ukrainian forces moving back towards their internationally recognized borders.

38 posted on 08/11/2023 5:42:07 AM PDT by Gunslingr3
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 12 | View Replies]

To: Phoenix8

Here is your doctored photo https://postimg.cc/75bRkTB2

Here is the original photo published in 2006 https://highkixx.files.wordpress.com/2011/08/6a00d8341ca4b653ef014e89296fd6970d-800wi.jpg

Here are the multiple debunkings https://www.google.com/search?q=fake+zelensky+photo+nyc+pride+parade&rlz=1C1CHBF_enUS1057US1057&oq=fake+zelensky+photo+nyc+pride+parade&gs_lcrp=EgZjaHJvbWUyBggAEEUYOdIBCjMxMDcwOWowajSoAgCwAgA&sourceid=chrome&ie=UTF-8


39 posted on 08/11/2023 5:59:33 AM PDT by ansel12 ((NATO warrior under Reagan, and RA under Nixon, bemoaning the pro-Russians from Vietnam to Ukraine.))
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 36 | View Replies]

To: ansel12

You seem to be correct.

Too much false propaganda going around.


40 posted on 08/11/2023 6:44:00 AM PDT by Phoenix8
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 39 | View Replies]


Navigation: use the links below to view more comments.
first previous 1-2021-4041-6061-8081-86 next last

Disclaimer: Opinions posted on Free Republic are those of the individual posters and do not necessarily represent the opinion of Free Republic or its management. All materials posted herein are protected by copyright law and the exemption for fair use of copyrighted works.

Free Republic
Browse · Search
News/Activism
Topics · Post Article

FreeRepublic, LLC, PO BOX 9771, FRESNO, CA 93794
FreeRepublic.com is powered by software copyright 2000-2008 John Robinson