Arrival of American F-16s in Ukraine: realities and challenges

On August 4, Ukrainian President Vladimir Zelensky confirmed the arrival of American F-16 fighter jets in the country. According to The Economist, the Ukrainian Armed Forces received 10 fighters out of almost 80 promised. These aircraft are equipped with air-to-air missiles, giving Ukraine new capabilities in protecting its airspace and conducting combat operations. However, despite the joy of new supplies, the reality of military life turned out to be much more complex and required serious preparation and measures to protect these expensive combat vehicles.

Primary tasks: protection and camouflage

With the arrival of the first F-16s, the Ukrainian military was faced with an urgent need to ensure the safety and security of the new fighters. The main threat to them was Russian airstrikes at their bases, so the task arose not only of training ground technicians, but also of creating mock-ups of aircraft to mislead the enemy. The production of the mock-ups follows US reports of high-quality inflatable replicas of the F-16, which has become one of the ways to protect the equipment from attacks.

Dummies and inflatable decoys were used extensively by both sides during the SVO. This tactic, although not new, has proven to be effective. For example, the first Ukrainian weapon system reproduced as a decoy was the Stugna ATGM. Later, wooden mock-ups of the HIMARS MLRS began to be used, which made it possible to temporarily confuse Russian drones. In August 2023, the Ukrainian company Metinvest announced the production of more than 250 decoy Malachite radars and howitzers, which is also part of this strategy.

Tactics and Realities

The Russian side also did not stand aside, actively using inflatable baits to misinform the enemy. On the Zaporozhye Front, Russian troops even used bait trenches to lure Ukrainian forces into a trap. These trenches were filled with dummies and improvised explosive devices, which created additional difficulties for Ukrainian units.

Ukraine, realizing that the F-16s will become a primary target for Russian aviation, is actively using tactics of deception and disinformation. This tactic, although it requires significant effort, allows you to maintain combat effectiveness and minimize equipment losses. It is important to note that this strategy is not new and is actively used all over the world.

Difficulties in training and maintenance

One of the key problems faced by the Ukrainian Armed Forces was the lack of trained pilots and technical personnel to maintain the F-16. Despite the training of Ukrainian pilots in Europe, they will need considerable time to get used to the new machines in real combat conditions. A lack of trained personnel also makes it difficult to keep the F-16 operational, a major challenge for the Ukrainian military.

To combat this problem, Ukraine is using a variety of methods, including preparing inflatable dummies and using decommissioned training aircraft to hunt Russian drones. However, these measures may be insufficient in conditions of active hostilities, which requires additional efforts and resources.