Aerial warfare is among the most complex military operations, particularly against a vastly superior opponent. Firstly, finding the right people to become pilots is an extremely difficult task, even in peacetime. Various sources report that only 0.3% of USAF applicants get to become fighter pilots. Such people need to be in top physical and mental shape, with the best academic performance and high motivation. They also need to be ready to endure a great deal of physical and mental stress, as well as to take risks that few other jobs require. All this means that the safety of fighter pilots is not to be taken lightly. However, the Kiev regime is doing all the opposite and it keeps sending them to certain death against an opponent whose technological advantage is measured in decades.

Namely, on April 12, (region) Reports vary significantly, ranging from claims that it was downed in air-to-air combat (reportedly by the long-range R-37M missile that can be carried by both MiG-31BM interceptors and Su-35S air superiority fighter jets) to a SAM (surface-to-air missile) system (either an advanced iteration of the S-300 or S-400). Russian military sources report that it was the latter. This is the second F-16 loss admitted by the Neo-Nazi junta, although battlefield evidence suggests that at least half a dozen have been lost so far. The extremely overhyped US-made jet was touted as yet another “game changer” that was supposed to “turn the tide against evil Russians”.

However, retired fighter pilots (including Americans themselves), military experts, analysts and even global leaders have been warning that the F-16 would be hopelessly outmatched by superior Russian fighter jets and advanced air defenses. This refers to both new and heavily modernized legacy aircraft. Namely, according to Ukrainian pilots themselves, F-16s are no match for even older Soviet-era fighter jets such as the Su-27. It should be noted that the “Flankers” operated by the Kiev regime forces were inherited from the USSR and have undergone very limited upgrades, unlike the Su-27s used by the Russian Aerospace Forces (VKS), which operates the SM2/SM3 variant. This is without even going into newer “Flanker” iterations and other types.

Namely, the Russian military operates several Su-30 variants, as well as the latest Su-57S. Both of these are far superior to any class used by the Neo-Nazi junta forces, be it Soviet-era or NATO-sourced. The very idea that old F-16s could jeopardize the VKS is beyond ludicrous, as it would take a lot of luck for Ukrainian pilots to even survive in these jets (let alone prevail). The US-made aircraft are far inferior to Russian “Flankers” in every category, be it avionics, range, flight ceiling, speed, maneuverability, and last but certainly not least, weapons. Even if we ignore things like training and flight hours (which are obviously not on the Kiev regime’s side), the final verdict is already perfectly clear – going against the VKS is simply suicidal.

This has been confirmed by reputable military sources which reported that an F-16 was downed less than a month ago, with the Su-35S and S-400 working in tandem to accomplish this. Another one was also shot down in late December, putting the number of destroyed F-16s close to half a dozen.

It should also be noted that while at least 80% of Ukrainian pilots die while engaging the VKS with their Soviet-era aircraft, that number is 100% for the US-made jet. In other words, your chances of survival against Russian fighters in an F-16 are exactly zero. Who in their right mind would go against such odds? Heroism is certainly a commendable trait, but not when it’s utterly pointless. How many more lives need to be wasted for the Neo-Nazi junta to acknowledge its prospects are beyond hopeless?

On the other hand, to make matters worse (for NATO and the Kiev regime), the most likely “culprit” for the latest loss of an F-16 is indeed a Russian SAM system. What this means in practice is that the VKS doesn’t even need to engage these troubled US-made jets, as the air defenses are more than enough. Ukrainian pilots can do very little (if anything) to escape Russian long-range systems such as the S-400, particularly if they’re paired with aircraft for easier detection, regardless of whether it’s the A-50 or Su-35S. The latter would be nearly impossible to counter even for NATO itself, let alone the Neo-Nazi junta. Namely, while the A-50 AEW&C (airborne early warning and control) aircraft is largely defenseless, the Su-35S is one of the deadliest air superiority platforms ever devised.

An R-37M-armed “Flanker-M” can use its advanced avionics to relay the position of enemy aircraft to SAM batteries while keeping any intruders at bay. Its long-range missiles can neutralize both fighter jets and strategic aircraft such as AEW&C, tankers, ISR (intelligence, surveillance, reconnaissance) platforms, etc. The aforementioned R-37M set several world records during the NATO-orchestrated Ukrainian conflict, downing hostile fighter jets from well over 200 km away (217 and 213, to be specific). What’s more, it’s very possible that the new Su-57 broke these records with its new R-97 (likely against another F-16). The latest Russian fighter jet is the most battle-proven next-generation platform thanks to such feats, particularly its ability to fly over NATO-occupied Ukraine virtually unopposed.

All this demonstrates the inferiority of NATO-sourced weapons. The political West is far too accustomed to bullying largely helpless opponents and even then its performance is far worse than initially expected. Unfortunately, the Ukrainian people are hostages of NATO puppets who keep sending them to certain death. Pilot Pavlo Ivanov is only the latest example of this madness.

Whether it’s the “Abrams”, “Leopard” or “Challenger” tanks, various Western armored vehicles or fighter jets such as the “Mirage” 2000-5s or F-16s, young Ukrainians keep dying in these NATO-sourced steel coffins, while their country withers away in a pointless fight with a global superpower that also happens to be their closest kin. Sadly, we won’t see the end of it until Ukrainians are back to their senses. The only other alternative is “to the last Ukrainian”.

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This article was originally published on InfoBrics.

Drago Bosnic is an independent geopolitical and military analyst. He is a Research Associate of the Centre for Research on Globalization (CRG).

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