The Ukrainian Air Force receives a “fleet” of F-16 and MiG-29 fighter jets to fight against Russia

Summary and key points: The Ukrainian Air Force is booming after receiving its first F-16 Fighting Falcon fighter jets from NATO in August, which it uses to intercept Russian cruise missiles and drones.

– In addition to these new capabilities, Ukraine is expected to receive up to 36 MiG-29 Fulcrum jets from Serbia via France, significantly expanding its fleet.

– The Ukrainian Air Force is likely to benefit from these purchases, but faces a challenge: the lack of trained pilots.

– With pilots requiring months of training to fly the F-16 and the Ukrainian fleet growing with new aircraft, Ukraine must quickly find a solution to its manpower shortage.

New F-16 and MiG-29 fighters boost Ukrainian air power

The Ukrainian Air Force is experiencing its best days after receiving its first F-16 Fighting Falcon fighter jets from NATO in August.

The F-16s have already taken to the skies and intercepted incoming Russian cruise missiles and suicide drones. Despite the loss of one aircraft, the Ukrainian Air Force is looking forward to being reinforced by dozens more F-16s in the coming months.

However, it is very likely that Kiev will receive dozens more combat aircraft of a different type and from an unexpected country.

From Serbia via France to Ukraine

Kyiv will most likely receive up to 36 MiG-29 Fulcrum fighter jets in the coming months.

Serbia has signed a $3 billion contract with France to purchase 12 F3R Rafale fighter jets. Under the agreement, the Balkan country will deliver 36 Russian-made MiG-29 Fulcrum fighter jets to France by the end of the year. It is very likely that France will then send the fighters to Ukraine.

Paris has increased its military support for Ukraine. French President Emmanuel Macron has already indicated that Kiev will receive Dassault Mirage fighter jets and that Ukrainian pilots will be trained.

The Ukrainian Air Force already flies the MiG-29, so introducing the new jets into Ukrainian service would be fairly straightforward. The Serbian aircraft are 9-13SE and feature improved radar capabilities that allow the aircraft to target and engage multiple threats simultaneously. They also have increased combat load capacity.

However, the Ukrainian Air Force may face an unexpected problem: it may have more planes than pilots.

An unforeseen problem

Before the war began, the Ukrainian combat and fighter aircraft fleet was rather small and comprised fewer than 100 aircraft. Even an existential battle with a nuclear power did not change that much. Today, the Ukrainian Air Force has 90 to 100 combat and fighter aircraft.

The introduction of the F-16 will revolutionize the capabilities of the Ukrainian Air Force and significantly increase its quality level. But it is a new type of aircraft, built according to a completely different design philosophy. It takes months to train and qualify for the type, as a cadre of about a dozen Ukrainian pilots who qualified to fly the F-16 found out.

In the meantime, the Ukrainian Air Force must maintain a constant presence in the skies to counter the Russian air forces. Although air combat is rather limited due to the strong air defense systems on the ground, fighter jets and combat aircraft fly daily sorties.

Therefore, the Ukrainian Air Force, which has a limited pool of trained and experienced pilots, must send some of them to the West for training and qualification on the F-16, while also having enough personnel to man its growing fleet of fighter and attack aircraft.

Although it is a good problem, it is still a problem that needs a solution.

About the author

Stavros Atlamazoglou is an experienced defense journalist specializing in Special Operations and a veteran of the Greek Army (military service with the 575th Marine Battalion and Army Headquarters). He holds a BA from Johns Hopkins University and an MA from the Johns Hopkins' School of Advanced International Studies (SAIS). His work has been featured in Business Insider, SandboxxAnd SOFREP.

Image credit: Creative Commons.