Comments by "Reecom98" (@reecom9884) on "Ukrainian pilots describe how the defend the skies from Russian forces and why they they need F-16s" video.

The F-16 has been in production almost for fifty years and is in the air force inventory of more than two dozen countries. There are about a dozen countries with multiple squadrons of F-16 able to give some of their F-16s to Ukraine. The former Eastern Block countries that are now part of NATO have very few Soviet era fighters left to give to Ukraine and are equip with F-16 or other Western made fighter jets.
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@rudyd7306 A private Canadian military contractor (Top Aces) bought 29 old F-16As from the Israeli Air Force and did their own upgrades to the old F-16As and was awarded a USAF contract to act as an aggressor force in training the USAF F-35s; it was more economical that having the USAF using their own fighters. The F-16s might be old, but it’s still one of the best multi-fighters in the world and would give more bangs for the buck then any Russian fighter it went up against; and the Russians know that.
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@Jarfiller To be qualified to be F-16 aircraft mechanic you must take and pass five courses. Each course is approximately 3 to 4 months in length, so the entire aircraft mechanic program takes approximately 19 months to complete. With the F-16 being in service for so long they are thousands of retired foreign trained aircraft mechanics, some of them would volunteer to service the F-16 and to train the Ukrainians with on the job training in the field.
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@Jarfiller The Ukrainians already have the supply infrastructure for their existing military jets. Other former East Block countries have upgraded to Western systems. For support work NATO countries are right across their border.
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@Jarfiller "Slovakia to repair German howitzers for Ukraine, ambassador says...Germany donated 22 units of the Panzerhaubitze 2000 to the Ukrainian military in 2022..." 22 Mar 2023.
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@Jarfiller In time of war everything is accelerated. Like the Israelis did when they got Western jets on very short notice and adapted very quickly when they were attacked by the six Arab countries.
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@Jarfiller Ukraine’s Anonov Design Bureau developed large commercial jets like the AN-225 Mriya, the largest cargo jet. They have modified and updated missiles that sank the Russian warship Moskva; they have adapted their Mig-29s to shoot the American HARM missiles. The have the capability and infrastructure to adapt using their aerospace people.
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@Jarfiller The America targeting control unit for the HARM missile had to be installed in the Mig-29 pilot's control panel. There are civil aircraft that are Western made being maintained using Western issued directives issued by Western aircraft manufacturers.
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@Jarfiller Military aviation mechanics are not certified by the US FAA due to their limited amount of training and education. The civilian aviation mechanics takes two to four years of training and an associated degree. Some airline companies require bachelor’s level training for senior level aviation mechanics and supervisors.
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