F-16 model fighter planeEuropean Press

Ukrainian Air Force spokesperson, Yuti Ignat, put the number of Western fighter jets at around 150 units. necessary to replace and modernize Ukraine’s current fighter fleet, which is composed of units from the post-Soviet era. Speaking to the Polish news agency PAP, Ignat has stopped short of confirming the exact number of aircraft that the Western allies will supply to Ukraine. although it was confirmed that “tens” of fighters would arrive.

So, Ignat has reported that some of the weapons supplied by the West are underutilized by Kyiv, as is the case with the AGM-88 missile, which is ground-launched when the optimal thing is to launch it from an F-16 fighter, “which will increase its power.” A spokesman for the Ukrainian Air Force has called on Western powers to strengthen Ukraine’s capabilities in order to face Russia as an equal, which has “much better” and more modern technology. “Russian missiles are armed with self-activated warheads. Thanks to the F-16 fighters and Patriot systems, we will be able to deprive the Russians of the advantage,” said Ignat, who once again advocated for “closing the sky” as a priority task for Kiev.

“Fighter jets will patrol our skies, moving swiftly between airports and spotting potential hazards. (…). We will be able to carry out very precise strikes against Russian arsenals and logistics,” he said. US President Joe Biden said Friday during the G7 summit in Japan that Washington was supporting its allies training Ukrainian pilots to use F-16 fighters, although no concrete decisions have been taken regarding the delivery date of the device. The countries taking delivery of the planes are the UK and the Nordic countries, which need approval from the United States, which they got at the Hiroshima summit last weekend.

After that, major European countries backed the idea of ​​the United States, which had been warned by Russia that the possible delivery of the F-16 model fighter could pose a “grave risk” to the West.