F-16 fighters forced to fly low if deployed on Ukrainian soil?

So far, the Russian tactic of using multi-role fighter jets to drop guided glide bombs has proven effective. The bombs have a range of 40-65 km, beyond the interception range of most Ukrainian fighter jets and anti-aircraft missile batteries.

Therefore, the F-16 fighter jets that the West has pledged to transfer to Ukraine could be the solution to intercept Russian bombers. However, according to analyst Justin Bronk from the Royal United Services Institute (RUSI), based in London, each F-16 sortie will face challenges from Moscow's air defense system, especially the S-400 batteries, with a range of 400 km.

F-16 fighter jets in the US practice launching AIM-120 air-to-air missiles in 2019

Mr. Bronk pointed out that if the F-16 fighter jets were to be deployed to intercept the Russian bombers, the Ukrainian pilots would have to fly low to avoid being targeted by air defenses. However, this would reduce the effectiveness of the AIM-120D air-to-air missiles that are usually equipped on the F-16, according to Forbes on June 17.

"If launched at low altitude, the missile will start flying in a dense air environment, with high aerodynamic drag, and will be affected by gravity when flying upwards towards the target. As a result, the missile will not reach the desired speed or altitude," said Mr. Bronk. If fired from low altitude, the AIM-120's operating range will be reduced by tens of kilometers, compared to a maximum range of 180 kilometers.

This partly explains why the Ukrainian army has recently increased its attacks on Russian air defense systems, as well as Moscow's bomber bases and weapons depots.

Another solution, according to Mr. Bronk, is to use weapons with a longer range, such as the Meteor air-to-air missile, which has a range of more than 200 kilometers. However, Ukraine can only use this missile if Sweden transfers JAS-39 Gripen fighters. Stockholm has given the green light, but said it will only consider transferring the aircraft when Kyiv receives the first batch of F-16s.

Source: https://thanhnien.vn/tiem-kich-f-16-buoc-phai-bay-thap-neu-trien-khai-tren-dat-ukraine-185240622173011008.htm