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Ukraine’s F-16s Have Arrived—With Some Of The Latest Defenses Against Russian Missiles
Pylon-mounted self-defenses could jam and distract Russian air defenses.
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F-16 Officially In Ukrainian Service, Self Protection Pods Included
After years of work, F-16s have officially entered service with Ukraine's Air Force, and they are already sporting some interesting features.www.twz.com
Whats the point of longe range Aim-120Ds? The radars limit should sit at below a 100km range for a armed fighter sized target like those hughe flankers. They would be mutch more needed for NASAMS than really anything else.In regards to the ECM pods they will be equipped with no doubt due to the wreckage of an unexploded AA-13 Axehead that Ukraine obtained in February, 2023 these F-16s will be able to spoof any AA-13s fired at them, Another thing is since they will be equipped with AIM-120s (I wonder if the Ukrainians will get the long-range AIM-120D variant?) which have active seekers unlike the AA-10 Alamo's semi-active they will have a much better time dealing with Russian fighter jets (The Russians have been using the AA-12 Adder with its' active radar-seeker).
These F-16s will essentially function as airborne NASAMS batteries except for also launching CMs against the Russians. They could at most threaten Su-24s & Su-34s that are tasked with the dirty work; they can't threaten the Su-30s, Su-35s and Mig-31s and the West knew this when they handed over the jets to Ukraine.Whats the point of longe range Aim-120Ds? The radars limit should sit at below a 100km range for a armed fighter sized target like those hughe flankers. They would be mutch more needed for NASAMS than really anything else.
The radars limit should sit at below a 100km range for a armed fighter sized target like those hughe flankers.
Well the F-16s could also be used for SEAD/ DEAD given the the relativ extensive suite of the danish fighter. To shoot down drones and CM they don't need them.These F-16s will essentially function as airborne NASAMS batteries except for also launching CMs against the Russians. They could at most threaten Su-24s & Su-34s that are tasked with the dirty work; they can't threaten the Su-30s, Su-35s and Mig-31s and the West knew this when they handed over the jets to Ukraine.
Still we would need to integreate them first. It would also put there only 2 awacs in a dangerous placeThe Ukrainian F-16s won't be operating in isolation, for example Sweden has recently donated two Saab 340s modified as AWACS aircraft so the F-16s can be cued by off board sensors where to point and shoot AIM-120Ds, targets of course would be aircraft such as Su-30s, Su-34s, Su-35s and MiG-31s (The ones modified to carry the AS-24 Killjoy ALBM).
Still we would need to integreate them first.
It would also put there only 2 awacs in a dangerous place
I mean, everybody saw this coming from lightyears away so this isn't exactly surprising.There are reports that Russia targeted the Mirgorod near Poltava and Kanatovo near Kirovograd airfields overnight, where the UAF F-16s are allegedly based.
No AIM-120D/D-3. I don't know or believe that any AM can carry or was ever cleared for themBoth the Saab 340s and F-16s should already be equipped with Link 16 datalink and JTIDS so that shouldn't be an issue.
The Dutch F-16s destined for Ukraine have been upgraded throughout their service lives with the Dutch air force. Added since their introduction: adapted for and using Litening-, LANTIRN-, FLIR- and ECM-pods, night vision goggles, terrain following system, AN/APG-66v2 radar, integration of AIM-9X - IRIS-T - AMRAAM - GBU-47.
I don't know or believe that any AM can carry
or was ever cleared for them
Thats the question. Do they have to software for it. Same question when some suggested the integration of leftover APG-68's..With the hardware and software upgrades done to these particular F-16s over the decades they should be able to fire the AIM-120D.
Yeah tought i would guess this may not happen until a good amount of them are there.Now that is another question but if the US is serious about giving the Ukrainians a proper chance at fully utilising their new F-16s then they will approve the transfer of AIM-120Ds to Ukraine.
You're right. New reports are surfacing that these UAF F-16A ADFs are in non-flyable condition, with opaque canopies. They are lacking the Vulcan cannon (LH side), as claimed on sm.
They seemed to have packed quite an extensive upgrade into what were originally rather "basic" F-16As. The weight figures published for the F-16AM don't seem to suggest much weight growth over the original F-16A however, which seems rather surprising when you consider the weight gain the F-16C accrued over the years. This was offset to some degree with the higher power GE-129 or PW-229 engines being introduced with the Block 50/52.
These maybe but not all
I was just about to ask what the inboard pylon was packing...
Wonder if they've issued APKWS pods for the drones?
The M61 would not be a good idea, as well as the increased risk of collision with the drone, there's also the certainty that not all those SAPHEI 20mm rounds are going to hit the traget and those that miss will hit the ground and things on the ground unless over the sea.It would be good if the new F-16s could be issued with laser-designator pods so that they can use the APKWS, between that and its' internal M61 Vulcan cannon it should be able to take care of drones such as the Shaheed 136.
I assume main problem for f-16 MLU isn't how to kill a shahed, it's that an/apg-66 isn't good enough for the task.It would be good if the new F-16s could be issued with laser-designator pods so that they can use the APKWS, between that and its' internal M61 Vulcan cannon it should be able to take care of drones such as the Shaheed 136.
Jets based outside of Ukraine are likely to be training/replacement pool only.Some sources on sm claim that the UAF F-16s are based in Romania to prevent them being destroyed by Russian forces. That would explain a nearby overflight over Odessa a few days ago.
Jets based outside of Ukraine are likely to be training/replacement pool only.
Operations from Romanian soil would be an extreme breach of neutrality.
These F-16s will essentially function as airborne NASAMS batteries except for also launching CMs against the Russians.
Well maybe if someone is kind enough for it then they could have some SLAM-ERThey're not going to be launching cruise missiles unless the US supplies JASSM, which so far it has shown no interest in doing....
The M61 would not be a good idea, as well as the increased risk of collision with the drone, there's also the certainty that not all those SAPHEI 20mm rounds are going to hit the traget and those that miss will hit the ground and things on the ground unless over the sea.
I assume main problem for f-16 MLU isn't how to kill a shahed, it's that an/apg-66 isn't good enough for the task.
I.e. final detection time problem, not a number of shots or a price one.
- APG-66(V)2A – AN/APG-66(V)2 with a new combined signal and data processor that provides seven times the speed and 20 times the memory of the older radar computer and digital signal processor line replaceable units. In this new variant, the displayed resolution in ground-mapping mode is quadrupled, and is reported to be close to that offered by SARtechniques. Used for modernization of F-16A/B fleet of Belgium, Denmark, Norway, Portugal and the Netherlands in the mid-1990s.
Iirc the reason behind f-16v procurement for ANG was that a much more capable an/apg-68 set doesn't really hold up against those small targets, be it turbojet or propeller-driven cruise missiles.I won't be surprised if both the fire-control radar hardware has had further upgrades and then of course there have been constant software upgrades at regular intervals. I don't think that one of the F-16AMs or F-16BMs will have any trouble intercepting a Shaheed 136 drone.
I doubt the F-16 would try to do a direct astern tail-chase gun intercept but instead coming in at an angle or a beam intercept to avoid being hit by debris the target. As for cannon-rounds missing striking into the ground that's a hazard of war also a 2.75" APKWS missile if misses will cause similar problems, however I think that a skilled pilot would very likely minimise problems with such an intercept.
TSC’s sensor is integrated into an L3Harris-developed proximity fuze to enable BAE Systems’ APKWS® laserguided weapons to be fired from any Hydra 70 launcher, including integration into L3Harris’ VAMPIRE™ multipurpose weapons system for C-UAS.
The fuze also includes a Height of Burst (HOB) mode...
Why not the have AMRAMs?I don't think these F-16 would be very useful for air to air combat given how old they are, but they possibly very useful in air to surface role if they can somehow put ATACMS on them