Ukraine's F-16 Dilemma: Isolating Crimea with Fighter Jets.
The F-16s will make the biggest difference in Ukraine when a JASSM missile fired from them is capable of isolating Crimea, according to a technical analyst with the RAND Corporation. However, before that moment arrives, a complex set of preparations must be completed, including training pilots, improving runways, establishing logistical chains, and obtaining munitions. The addition of a few dozen second-hand Western aircraft will not result in Ukraine achieving air superiority along the war's front lines, let alone air dominance over Russian cities.