Thread by @tomiahonen

Mig 29 and F 16 Thread 1/

Let me explain the plan to send Mig 29 jets from Poland (and Romania etc) to Ukraine's air force

This photo has both jets, in Polish insignia. The two planes in middle are US made F 16 Fighting Falcon jets. The outer planes Russian made Mig 29 Fulcrums

Mig 29 and F 16 Thread 2/

The Ukrainian air force is SEVERELY outnumbered, more than TEN to ONE. Ten Russian fighter jets for every one Ukrainian fighter jet. They need desperately, urgently DOZENS of jets, just to help the odds a LITTLE BIT (to about 9 to 1 against)

Mig 29 and F 16 Thread 3/

This is the Mig 29 Fulcrum, a Russian-made jet fighter from the 1980s, that Ukraine's air force flies, in Ukraine air force colors. It is their best jet fighter. In very rough terms, is comparable to early models of F 16 Fighting Falcon of US Air Force

Mig 29 and F 16 Thread 4/

It would be useless for the US to supply F 16 jet fighters NOW to Ukraine, because it takes several MONTHS to retrain a competent supersonic jet fighter pilot, to fly a new supersonic jet fighter type. MONTHS

Ukraine doesn't have months to spare

Mig 29 and F 16 Thread 4/

NATO allies Poland, Bulgaria & Slovakia have a total of 44 Mig 29s. If are transferred to Ukraine, it roughly doubles Ukraine's BEST JET type, for which they have trained jet pilots and trained ground crew

For these 3 NATO countries, US can send F 16s

Mig 29 and F 16 Thread 5/

In aerodynamic performance, very roughly the US made F 16 Fighting Falcon is similar to that of Russian made Mig 29 Fulcrum

But in avionics like its radar, and in total weapon capability air-to-air and air-to ground, F 16 far better warplane

Mig 29 and F 16 Thread 6/

The NATO air forces that fly Mig 29 today, would be IMPROVED in air combat capability by swapping out Mig 29 for F 16

US Air Force has 900 F 16s in active inventory & near thousand parked in reserve. US can easily afford to supply F 16s to NATO allies

Mig 29 and F 16 Thread 7/

NEXT... as Poland, Bulgaria, Slovakia swap Mig 29s for F 16s, their OWN pilots need to be retrained. Send US flight instructors & F 16 simulators to Poland. Put F 16 conversion training at nearest air base to Ukraine. & start UKRAINIAN pilot conversion

Mig 29 and F 16 Thread 8/

A small number, half a squadron - of Ukrainian pilots then given expedited transition training - 2 months - to learn F 16. Then USA can start to ship F 16s directly to Ukraine around June. Ukraine sends a dozen pilots every 2 months to Poland to retrain

Mig 29 and F 16 Thread 9/

Last thought. How can Ukraine, crippled by war, afford to buy F 16s? Do what USA did with Britain in early World War 2: Lend-Lease

Give a couple of dozen F 16 jets in exchange for valuable radar & intel stations to be based in Ukraine, to spy on Russia

Mig 29 and F 16 Thread 10/

PS obviously after this war is over, let Ukraine join NATO. Putin needs to learn his lesson, that if he behaves like a bully, it will end up HURTING him, and he never gains anything this way

#IStandWithUkraine #StandWithUkraine #JeSuisUkraine