Modern missiles and radars on F-16 will be a threat to Russian aviation

The possible delivery of F-16 fighter jets to Ukraine, which was approved by US President Joe Biden during the G7 conference, will undoubtedly provide the Ukrainian Air Force with the important air combat power it desperately needs.

However, the combat capability of the air force is largely dependent on modern technology, and some F-16s are already outdated aircraft.

British Air Vice Marshal Sean Bell, a military expert, and Grzegorz Sobczak, a Polish military aviation expert from MILMAG.pl, described the potential difficulties Ukraine may face in receiving F-16s from Western countries.

According to Sean Bell, when the F-16 Fighting Falcon first took to the skies in the late 1970s, it was an extremely light, maneuverable and efficient aircraft, making it the most exported fighter jet model in the world.

Regardless of the F-16's impressive physical maneuverability and thrust-to-weight ratio, the combat capabilities of modern fighters are largely determined by their avionics technology.

Radar is a crucial component of a fighter jet, and as technology advances to allow radars to detect objects at greater distances and with greater accuracy, so do the methods of camouflage. A common saying among fighter pilots is: "He who sees wins," because the sooner you detect an enemy fighter, the sooner you can launch a missile," says the expert.

Older F-16s may not be effective enough The likelihood that Ukraine will receive new F-16s is low, as they are quite expensive, and the West will not want to risk valuable capabilities in this conflict, the British air vice marshal believes.

The older fighters have less powerful radars, are visible to enemy radars, and are equipped with outdated avionics.

While the older F-16s are still capable of performing their duties, many countries are looking to upgrade their F-16 fleets to the latest F-35 Joint Strike Fighter, making a certain number of "high-mileage" F-16s available to Ukraine.

But over time, jets become less reliable and dependent on spare parts.

In addition to radar, modern fighters also need advanced electronic warfare (EW), defense systems, infrared sensors, the Link-16 data communications system, and a computer system to program and deliver new generation air-to-air and air-to-ground weapons.

In addition, pilot and ground support training, weapons, spare parts, ground planning tools, intelligence, and a range of supporting infrastructure are needed.