The Ukrainian Air Force has been operating the MiG-29 fighter jets for several years, and these aircraft have been an important part of their fleet. The MiG-29s provide Ukraine with a certain level of air combat capability.

If there have been recent developments or announcements regarding Ukraine’s plans to acquire F-16s or updates on their dependence on MiG-29s, I recommend checking official sources, Ukrainian defense publications, or reputable news outlets for the most accurate and up-to-date information on the matter.

Please note that circumstances may have changed since my last update, and it’s always best to refer to the latest information from official sources for the most reliable details regarding military procurement and equipment updates.

The commander of the US Air Force in Europe and Africa, General James Hacker, put the most recent point in the matter of Ukraine receiving Western fighter jets in the near future during the annual conference of the Air Force Association. The American general, while talking to journalists, did not veil the actual terms of receiving the F-16 fighter jets and stated that they will not arrive in Ukraine within the next 2-3 years, even after the relevant political decision is made.

And the reason for this is not the Pentagon’s lack of desire to strengthen the Ukrainian Armed Forces with new machines, but completely prosaic things – training and logistical issues, Politico quoted him as saying. That is, this problem applies to any other Western aircraft, including European warmachines too. We will also remind you that the Pentagon has already stated that the transfer of fighter jets is not in the short term and that Washington is aiming for the transfer of ωεɑρσռs that the Ukrainian Armed Forces will immediately be ready to throw into battle.

In this way, it is possible to look at the problem realistically, and most importantly, with the understanding that from 1991 to 2022, the Air Force of Ukraine did not receive a single new fighter and anti-aircraft missile system. Due to the fact that the main problems in obtaining aircrafts have been determined and consist precisely in training and ground maintenance, the only “short” option remains obtaining additional MiG-29s. And after Slovakia has already handed over the MiG-29AS , taking into account the uncertain fate of Polish machines, Bulgaria remains the only operator of this fighter from NATO countries, which has 14 units of the MiG-29 in service.

But these machines are reaching the end of their service life, and in 2020, Sofia planned to replace them with 8 units of F-16, but Lockheed Martin did not have time to fulfill this contract on time . It should also be taken into account that the Pentagon has already hinted that they have transferred a “more than significant” number of spare parts for the MiG-29. This could well allow Ukrainian specialists not only to repair aircrafts damaged in battles, but also to restore “sides” from storage.

But when it comes to the MiG-29, its combat effectiveness rests on its ωεɑρσռs and radar complex. In any case, the MiG-29 of the 80s will be inferior to the Russian Su-30 and Su-35 of the 2000-2010s. And the only theoretically possible option for expanding the aircraft’s capabilities is to provide it with wider capabilities by integrating new ωεɑρσռs and searching for other non-linear solutions. Regarding ωεɑρσռs, separate publications have already been devoted to this issue, both regarding air-to-air and air-to-ground missiles. However, in relation to the expansion of air combat capabilities, everything rests on the obsolescence of the MiG-29 targeting radar systems.