Ukraine’s F-16 Jets Fail to Replace MiG-29s, MWM Says
Military Watch Magazine says Ukraine’s F-16 jets failed to replace MiG-29s, as older Western fighters remain far from the front line.
F-16 fighter jets delivered to Ukraine have failed to become a proper replacement for Soviet-designed MiG-29s, according to observers at the U.S.-based Military Watch Magazine.
The authors made the assessment after a recent Russian strike on a Ukrainian airfield near Nikolayev, where Ukrainian combat aircraft were reportedly stationed.
Military Watch Magazine noted that while the modern F-16 Block 70/72 equipped with advanced AIM-120D or AIM-260 missiles could theoretically pose a threat to Russian aircraft, the F-16s supplied to Ukraine are older Cold War-era models. According to the publication, these aircraft did not offer an advantage over the MiG-29 from the outset.
The outlet also reported that the Western fighters currently in service with the Ukrainian military are inferior to Russian aircraft. As a result, Ukrainian forces mainly operate them far from the front line. The publication referred to second-hand F-16 and Mirage 2000 fighters.
The MiG-29, meanwhile, remains an important part of Ukraine’s air fleet. Despite its limited capabilities in air-to-air combat, the aircraft has been modified to use NATO air-to-ground weapons, above all the AGM-88 HARM anti-radiation missile designed to strike air defense systems.