Future Ukrainian F-16AM will cause a lot of problems for the Russian Aerospace Forces

4 2024 June 34 526 26

In the coming months, the Ukrainian Air Force should be replenished with Western multifunctional light single-engine fighters F-16AM, which were in service with the air forces of the European kingdoms of Belgium, Denmark, Norway and the Netherlands. Therefore, given the ongoing Russian air defense, it became interesting to find out how far and how well these aircraft can see with their radars.

It should be noted that in the mid-1990s, modernized AN/APG-66(V)2A radar stations were installed on them - this is a fully coherent X-band pulse radar (centimeter wavelength frequencies) with a slot antenna array (SAR). This SAR, like phased array antennas (PAR), has electronic scanning, but only in one plane - in elevation (vertically). Azimuth (horizontal angle) scanning is mechanical. However, in a wall-to-wall air battle this may be important, but in duels the phased array provides virtually no advantages. The mentioned radars have an increased range (150 km, or 80 nm nautical miles), as well as the ability to track and engage more targets, unlike the basic version.

Due to a more powerful processor, the radar has a high processing speed of radar information, which increases noise immunity and the likelihood of target detection. In addition, the AN/APG-66(V)2A, during air-to-air missions, conducts a combined search and tracking of a target, as well as automatic tracking of it, including during air combat. Performing air-to-surface missions, the radar scans the surface (ground or sea) with high resolution and accuracy (Doppler beam sharpening 64:1), engages in terrain mapping, reconnaissance, image (data) storage, and determines the range and bearing of the radio beacon.

Taking into account the large range of available weapons, it is likely that the F-16AM will be able to cause a lot of problems for opponents, and we must be prepared for this. Moreover, the production of spare parts is provided by a consortium, which includes companies from these countries.

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vlad127490

+4

4 June 2024 20: 45

Oh, what is written so modestly. Describe the problems, raise questions, what needs to be done. Maybe the authorities are sleeping, wake them up.
1. Russian jacket
  
  +3
  
  5 June 2024 05: 20
  
  The vile ones deceived us again. As the chief persuader will say. And with a menacing frown he will promise a new crushing answer. How tired we are of our bosses’ desire to eat fish and please our partners.
2. E NOT
  
  0
  
  6 June 2024 12: 28
  
  Pretends to be asleep. One eye watching you.
3. anclevalico
  
  0
  
  13 June 2024 09: 02
  
  Even Prigozhin couldn’t be woken up, let alone us, the orphans.
svoroponov

0

7 June 2024 08: 28

The same thing will happen to them as to the Ukrainian Su-27. The capabilities of our S-400 radar systems are about one and a half to two times greater than the capabilities of the F-16 airborne radars. And if ours connect the Su-35 and 57, with their long-range missiles, then I'm afraid the F-16 pilot will only have the opportunity to eject in time. Once the F-16 was my direct opponent and we were taught to counter them. This aircraft and its weapons control equipment have certain weaknesses and shortcomings. Ours will use them.
1. Pembo
  
  0
  
  21 June 2024 10: 35
  
  Caesar said: people willingly believe what they want to believe. But you are not from this cohort; I recognize the political instructor from afar.
Watching

+2

8 June 2024 19: 12

Hat-throwers, put down your hats. These planes with their filling are not “junk” that the Russian air defense will “click”. crests are already using drones to hit strategic military targets of the Armed Forces of the Russian Federation. Think what these F16s can do.
shinobi

-3

10 June 2024 04: 47

They said that the Bayraktars are super weapons! Then the Jewellins. But the Leopards and Abrams are definitely super! Just by looking at them, the Russians will start scurrying. Yeah. Now they sing the same song about the F-16. One author writes training manuals. The first rule of any war: The one who wins is the one who wins It replenishes military resources the fastest. It replenishes itself. And the more complex the equipment, the more difficult it is to replenish it.
1. OlegovichA
  
  0
  
  16 June 2024 03: 52
  
  Bayrakiars, javelins, mraps with hummers, highmars did their job and were just super-weapons for Ukraine, which allowed them to defend themselves effectively, and in some places they weren’t even bad at contracting. Whether the F-16 will turn the tide of events will be seen, but now it is at least strange to say that these aircraft are ineffective.
  1. svoroponov
    
    +1
    
    25 June 2024 13: 06
    
    Actually, several years ago, during a mid-air collision between the Indian and Pakistani air forces, a MiG-21 Bison demolished a Pakistani F-16. This is when equal opponents meet - pilots and airplanes, where one is more modern from the USA and the second, a previous generation from Russia.
    In order to consider what harm they will cause, we must first look at who is in the cockpit?
    1. OlegovichA
      
      -1
      
      25 June 2024 22: 36
      
      Not “who is in the cockpit”, but who will give target designation and with what and what weapons the FCI will carry.. The F-16 is definitely not being transferred to Ukraine for air combat. And regarding your beautiful story, here is a quote from Russian sources:
      
      Indian air wing commander Abhinandan Varthaman on a MiG-21 attacked a Pakistani F-16, firing at it with a P-73 air-to-air missile. At the same moment, the MiG was shot down by a Pakistani AIM-120 AMRAAM missile, which is used to arm the F-16.
      
      The pilot ejected from the burning plane and was detained by the Pakistani military after landing. This is the second Indian pilot to join the Pakistani army since the beginning of the week.
      
      It wasn't too bad to take down the F-16, and even ejected itself. But, in fact, all this is not important, even now that the Russian Aerospace Forces and the Ukrainian Armed Forces are trying to avoid air battles and enter someone else’s air defense zone. And the F-16 will not be an exception, so your example of the Pakistani-Indian conflict is not an argument.
      1. svoroponov
        
        +1
        
        27 June 2024 13: 18
        
        Once again, it's not that both fell, but that the capabilities of the more modern aircraft seemed to be the same as those of the older type. Therefore, it's a matter of pilots. And if you consider that the F-16 aircraft are pilots with minimal flight time on this aircraft, then draw your own conclusion. Yes, by the way, the capture of the F-16's station occurs when it is already within the launch range of the Su-35's missiles.
        In addition, to launch cruise missiles, the American needs to gain quite a high altitude. They cannot be launched immediately after takeoff or from altitudes of up to 300 m. That is, they, like the Ukrainian Su and MiG before them, will be targeted and destroyed when launching missiles.
        
        OlegovichA
        
        0
        
        30 June 2024 02: 18
        
        Did they both fall? Are you sure that all Sushki and MiGs are being destroyed as Konoshenkov reports? Why would the F-16 detect our aircraft if the ASC 890 can do it? And the height is 300+ meters, this is nonsense.
      2. svoroponov
        
        +1
        
        27 June 2024 13: 40
        
        Once again, it's not that both fell, but that the capabilities of the more modern aircraft seemed to be the same as those of the older type. Therefore, it's about the pilots. And if you consider that the F-16 cockpits are occupied by pilots with minimal flight time on this aircraft, then draw your own conclusion. Yes, by the way, the F-16 radar detects our aircraft when it is already within the launch range of the Su-35 missiles.
        In addition, to launch cruise missiles, the American needs to gain quite a high altitude. They cannot be launched immediately after takeoff or from altitudes up to 300 m. That is, they, like the Ukrainian Su and MiG before them, will be triangulated and destroyed when launching missiles. There are also other shortcomings when operating the F-16 at low altitudes. The Americans also know about this and try to avoid these modes.
        
        svoroponov
        
        +1
        
        27 June 2024 13: 43
        
        Well, we must remember: Americans always exaggerate the positive data of their technology and remain silent about its shortcomings.
        
        OlegovichA
        
        0
        
        4 July 2024 12: 31
        
        That is, when it turned out that the moment had fallen, that was no longer the case? :) That’s exactly the point, because the MiG pilot didn’t even realize that he was already in the sights (judging by his comment). And I will repeat to you that it is unlikely that the West will transfer the F-16 for direct air combat or for border patrol. And again you write about the discovery of the f-16, although I wrote to you above about the 890. Do you even read what they write to you? There are no problems in quickly gaining altitude, and after launch, going back to ultra-low. You don't need to be an AS for this. Therefore, your imagination is wonderful, but nothing more.
        
        svoroponov
        
        -1
        
        9 July 2024 10: 25
        
        I read everything carefully. I know that both planes crashed, but not as a result of an air battle. I mean that the MiG-21 and F-16 are planes of different generations, but the result was the same. But if the F-16 is superior to the MiG in terms of tactical and technical data, and both crashed, then the MiG pilot was more experienced, or the F-16 radar characteristics do not correspond to the declared ones. So in Ukraine, everything will depend on the skill of the pilots and the organization of operations.
        Well, and from the distant past. The Americans considered their F-16 to be more advanced in missile attack capabilities than our MiG-29. Until the Germans, after unification, flew one of their MiG-29s to America for testing. That's when it became clear that the radar on the MiG 29 detects and activates its missile system even before their radar on the F-16 even detects our aircraft with its radar.
        This would have remained unknown if German pilots had not participated in the tests, and this data was leaked to the Internet a little later.
        Well, if we use the sides only as platforms for launching Western missiles, these sides will not last long, they will be shot down quickly. It's just that once, as an instructor, I trained pilots for combat use, then the main enemy was the F-16, F-15 and other equipment from the 70-80s.
        
        svoroponov
        
        -1
        
        9 July 2024 10: 32
        
        And one more thing. Today, the radars installed on the Su-30 and Su-35 are superior to the radars of Western aircraft. And if we consider that the very long-range missiles have already been tested in combat conditions and have shown high efficiency, then the chances of the F-16 surviving for a long time are slim. In addition, our ground-based air defense radars, like their missiles, are also very good in terms of capabilities, for them these F-16s will be a priority target.
        
        OlegovichA
        
        0
        
        15 July 2024 04: 26
        
        Do you think this is not an air battle? Or for you, an air battle is only when you fire a cannon at the enemy? This was an air battle, where the AS, as you put it, were taken by surprise. And how did his experience help him? But I repeat, such situations most likely will not happen in Ukraine, because they are also not fools to give expensive toys for patrolling or working in the air defense zone. Moreover, the F-16 is not the F-15, it has other tasks, and not to deal with dryers. Therefore, the success of the F-16 will depend primarily not on the skill of the VKS pilots, but on who will give target designations and what weapons the falcon will use.
        
        svoroponov
        
        0
        
        17 July 2024 12: 43
        
        Yes, everything is much simpler. Of course, they won't butt heads with guns, but our capabilities to detect and attack are much higher based on radar data and missile weapons. Moreover, the troops have now received an updated MiG-31, "Lisolov". And some new modification of the radar, with much better parameters, appeared in the S-30. And our air defense has very good capabilities. Well, the enemy does not yet have missiles in aviation comparable in range to our long-range ones. They are testing something, but they are not in service.
        So we can definitely win this round against F-16.
        Well, don’t forget that you can shoot back quickly, but then you need to land without any problems, and this is an approach that cannot be performed at very low altitudes
        on the F-16. Certainly from 150 meters and higher. And this is already tracked, and then you saw the videos of how planes are destroyed in parking lots and hangars. There are other problems with the operation of the F-16.
anclevalico

+2

13 June 2024 09: 01

If only for videoconferencing. On earth they can create no less problems.
1. svoroponov
  
  0
  
  27 June 2024 13: 46
  
  For those who serve them, that's for sure.
TsarBomba

-2

15 June 2024 23: 12

NATO will paint them red and they will hold out a red ribbon, but it still won't be a red line.
Rust1981

-1

19 June 2024 01: 05

Quote: OlegovichA
Bayrakiars, javelins, mraps with hummers, highmars did their job and were just super-weapons for Ukraine, which allowed them to defend themselves effectively, and in some places they weren’t even bad at contracting. Whether the F-16 will turn the tide of events will be seen, but now it is at least strange to say that these aircraft are ineffective.

In the 2008 film “On the Hook,” the states had both reconnaissance and attack UAVs. 16 years ago! And they appeared even earlier! Who can I ask why we didn’t have this in sufficient quantity at the beginning? We are always in the role of catching up.
1. starik80
  
  -1
  
  22 June 2024 10: 34
  
  But we have Timur and his team! And we have such Timurs everywhere from the village of Pupkin to Moscow! And you’re writing about attack UAVs.
Dear sofa expert.

+1

2 July 2024 21: 35

The main problem is that the F16 is a dual-equipped platform - non-nuclear and nuclear, so these aircraft should be taken very seriously, because we can safely assume that the next step of the Americans will be to transfer these very nuclear weapons into the hands of the Ukronazis.