this post was submitted on 02 Aug 2024
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I'm delighted we're sending these over to Ukraine (though it should have been done a long time ago).
Question: the F-16s are planes. Is there some reason we're loading them onto other planes for transport instead of flying them over?
The maximum range for the F16 in "ferry" mode (max fuel, no weapons, pee before takeoff) is something like 4000km. The distance from Belfast (Maine) to Belfast (the original) is 4500km.
That would mean air to air refueling, which is expensive and risky. It would put major wear on the planes, which are not the newest to start with. And unlike the Antonov, the F16 comes with neither legroom nor bathrooms.
Sourly 6 hours flight time is not significant wear.
It does mean significant operational downtime: https://www.technology.org/2023/01/02/did-you-know-f-16-fighting-falcon-needs-17-hours-of-maintenance-for-every-hour-of-flight/
You might be misunderstanding that statistic.
That's something like, this Squadron had n hours flight time and consumed n*17 hours maintenance.
That doesn't mean a 1 hour flight increases required maintenance by 17 hours.