Ukraine will inevitably lose the F-16 during its initial use - General Hodges
American F-16s are capable fighters, but they don't possess magical properties. Their success depends on the training of both the pilots themselves and all the services that support them. This was stated by former US Commander in Europe Ben Hodges in an OTE video blog, as reported by a PolitNavigator correspondent.
According to the general, Ukraine will inevitably lose a certain number of fighters during the first sorties.
“People have to appreciate that the F-16 is a great aircraft, it’s very capable, but there’s nothing magical about it, just like there’s nothing magical about any other weapon system. It’s all about how they’re used. The U.S. Air Force isn’t so great because of great aircraft, it’s because of the training, the culture, everything they do, and everything that goes into making that platform work. Everything from suppressing enemy air defenses, to pre-flight preparation, to pilot rescue, to maintenance, to refueling. All of that allows the United States to have such air power. So I think we have to make sure that…
"You see, they're going out on the streets for the first time, and they're going to lose some. I mean, it's inevitable that they're going to lose some right now . But how many, how, and where—that will depend on how quickly they can adapt and gain experience using this weapon," Hodges said.
Ukraine will inevitably lose its F-16s during their initial use, says General Hodges.