F-16s can use any Ukrainian airfield with new weapons, says aviation expert
With the weapons for the F-16 that Ukraine received, they will be able to operate from any airfield in the country, aviation expert and leading researcher of the State Aviation Museum Valeriy Romanenko said in an interview with Radio NV on Aug. 7.
"With the air-to-air missiles we have, any airfield can accommodate the fighters because they're half the weight. If fully loaded with 6.5 tons of weapons, only a few of our airfields can handle them due to our tiled surfaces, as these planes usually operate from asphalted, smooth runways. But with half the weapons, the landing gear isn't heavily loaded, and they can operate from almost any airfield in Ukraine," the aviation expert explained on Radio NV.
First F-16s in Ukraine
On July 31, Bloomberg reported that Ukraine received its first batch of F-16 fighters. This was later confirmed by Lithuania's Minister of Foreign Affairs, Gabrielus Landsbergis.
The first six F-16 aircraft were delivered to Ukraine from the Netherlands, according to The Times. Additional fighter jets are expected to arrive from Denmark soon, sources told The Times.
The Telegraph reported that Ukrainian pilots have already conducted their first combat sorties in Ukraine using the F-16s. According to the British newspaper, these aircraft have been used to enhance Ukraine's air defense against Russian strikes.
On August 4, President Volodymyr Zelenskyy confirmed the arrival of the first F-16 fighter jets in Ukraine and shared a video on his Telegram channel.
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