How many F-16 fighters will Ukraine be able to use this year?

In 2024, Ukraine will be able to use no more than ten F-16 fighters on the battlefield.

This was reported by The New York Times with reference to a number of American officials.

The publication drew attention to the fact that President Volodymyr Zelenskyi, in his announcement today about the arrival of F-16s, did not specify their number and did not specify whether they had already performed combat missions in Ukraine.

An American official said on condition of anonymity that six pilots are conducting test flights on the same number of planes in the "undisputed" airspace of Ukraine. According to him, Ukrainian pilots are used to operations on a small scale and have not yet participated in battles.

According to some experts, a lack of trained pilots and a limited number of aircraft will limit their immediate impact on the front.

American officials interviewed by the publication claim that about 20 Ukrainian pilots will be able to fly these fighters this year.

"This would allow Ukraine to use only about ten F-16s in combat, given that each aircraft requires at least two pilots", the journalists concluded.