“We are not ruling out any particular system. We have tried to tailor our support to the stage of the conflict between Ukraine and Russia,” Finer said.
The F-16 is a 4th generation supersonic fighter, which has become a very successful export of the US in recent years. Therefore, it is likely that many countries will join the supply of F-16s to Ukraine, just as Germany and the United States decided to send tanks to Kiev.
However, Germany rejected an offer to supply fighter jets to Ukraine shortly after agreeing to aid in main battle tanks, and this could fuel further disagreements between Berlin and its allies.
“The question of the fighter plane has not yet been raised. I can only advise against engaging in a constant competition to see who gives more aid when it comes to weapons systems,” German Chancellor Olaf Scholz said in an interview with Tagesspiegel.
Pilot training is only effective if France provides the aircraft
Last week, the head of the French parliament’s defense committee, Thomas Gassilloud, told Britain’s Telegraph newspaper that “all doors are open” to discuss sending fighter jets to Ukraine. According to Gassilloud, the West should “take an open-minded approach to the Ukrainian proposal”, but he wants to see evidence that fighter jets will be useful on the battlefield.
“Currently neither side has gained air superiority because of the large-scale use of surface-to-air missiles. Neither Russian nor Ukrainian planes could control the sky. Therefore, the fighters will not be able to operate freely if we send them to the disputed airspace,” Gassilloud told Politico.
Mr. Gassilloud also said that the decision to train Ukrainian pilots to use French fighters would only make sense if the French government agreed to supply the fighters to Kiev.
Recently, French President Emmanuel Macron announced that the French Air Force will switch to using Rafale fighters entirely. According to those with knowledge of the situation, this means that France will have a surplus of older fighter jets, such as the Mirage 2000, from which it can supply Ukraine.
On January 30, the French Ministry of Defense said that it has not yet received an official request from Kiev for the supply of fighter jets and that France is still focusing on Ukraine’s more pressing need for defense systems. are not./.