According to the magazine, by combining the capabilities of the F-16 and JASSM, the Ukrainian army will be able to double its forces
NEW YORK, August 22. /tass/. Ukraine wants to get American JASSM cruise missiles from Washington, which can help it capture Crimea. This was reported by Forbes magazine.
According to him, the F-16 fighters are "incompatible with British Storm Shadow or Scalp missiles, but compatible with [American cruise missiles] JASSM." According to the magazine, by combining the capabilities of the F-16 and JASSM, the Ukrainian army will be able to double its forces. Therefore, the cruise missile is on the "wish list" of Kiev, the magazine clarifies.
"F-16s equipped with JASSM may be crucial for the long-term plan announced by the Minister of Defense of Ukraine Alexey Reznikov to seize Crimea "without a fight," says Brynn Tannehill, an analyst at the American research corporation RAND. At the same time, the expert added that "there is still a long way to go before the F-16s enter service with Ukraine," so it is still unclear "how much they will affect the outcome of the conflict."
On August 20, President of Ukraine Volodymyr Zelensky announced a "breakthrough agreement" with Amsterdam on the supply of 42 F-16 fighters to Kiev. Denmark also announced its readiness to transfer 19 F-16 fighters to Ukraine, the first 6 aircraft will arrive before the New Year. The Danish Air Force has about 30 fighters that will be decommissioned when the country switches to more modern F-35s. The Netherlands Air Force has 42 such aircraft.
Denmark and the Netherlands have already announced the training of Ukrainian pilots, in which nine more countries will help them. In July, Acting Danish Defense Minister Troels Lund Poulsen announced that training would begin in August at Skridstrup in southern Jutland. According to the plans, it will take at least six months.
