Russia - threadbanned users in OP

Nope, they cost more than an F-35. The strike Eagle is only about $2.2m more expensive than the Grippen. https://www.aerotime.aero/articles/27553-Top-10-most-expensive-fighter-jets-in-2021

I'm done, it's getting too OT, back to reality of no western jets for Ukraine yet, and Czechia's lovely Mig-29 gift.

You don't have to agree but the A10 can be equipped for multiple roles,yes it a primarily a CAS Aircraft but thanks to a series of upgrade it can do several roles ,we were told it can't carry stand off weapons but yes it can carry stand off weapons due to being equipped with a sniper pod ,and yes it carries some air 2 air weapons,

People have a bad habit of jumping in on a Post saying no,no ,no

In this case it can ,

Su30 family at low attitude I reckon an A10 could hold its own low and slow ,

We've seen the Russian aircraft easily get shot down in low speed air 2 air in Ukraine,

It's all down to training and pilots and the abilities of the aircraft, the Americans are years ahead of anyone when it comes to aerial combat and aerial combat training

F-16s are the only option.

They are simple and plentiful and relatively cheap and easy to train on and have lots of spares and are capable multi-role planes.

They will deal with tank formations just as well as patrolling for and destroying heavier Russian aircraft, such as airborne radar, tankers, medium bombers etc.

They aren't great for dogfighting, but its not like Russia has fleets of serviceable air-superiority fighters and pilots to fly them, so it won't be a big issue.

The US has hundreds, maybe thousands of F-16s in sterile storage in the desert and attached to Air National Guard Units all over America. Time to start shipping them to Germany and Poland for training and forward deployment in Ukraine.

Maybe paint a few Swastikas on the tails just to give Solovyov an actual stroke.

There's a difference between reflexively rejecting an idea because you just don't like it and shooting it down because it is completely unrealistic. There is not enough thrust in the entire western world to make the A-10 into a dogfighter, leaving aside its complete lack of radar and BVR capability that I mentioned in my previous post. As for the idea of an Su-30 or similar aircraft engaging an A-10 at low level, that's just wishful thinking. Any Flanker pilot will attack from a position of advantage, which would be from higher altitude and farther away, using their own radar and long range missiles to take out an A-10 before it can ever become a threat. And ANY Flanker family aircraft can easily out-climb, outmanoeuvre and out-range an A-10. Air to air is what the Flankers were designed for, even in a fur ball, they are far more likely to take out a ground-attack aircraft like the A-10 than vice versa. Can an A-10 shoot down a Flanker? possibly, but it is highly unlikely and depends on the Flanker pilot making every mistake in the book, in which case they deserve to be shot down for their sheer stupidity alone. Banking on an opponent's prolonged ineptitude has never been a good strategic choice, as the nature of combat tends to weed out idiots rather quickly.

If you want to provide Ukraine with a low-level deep strike capability, a Tornado would be a much better choice, if you can scratch together enough Luftwaffe aircraft that haven't worn out their airframes and aren't needed for the nuclear sharing role. It's got a longer range, is much faster at low level, has a terrain following radar to take some of the strain of the pilot, and has enhanced targeting capabilities compared to the A-10. The Warthog is good at its intended role, battlefield close air support, and it can deliver a world of pain in that role still. But it is very much a one-trick pony and doesn't deliver the capabilities that Ukraine needs at the moment. Long range air to air and deep strike capabilities are needed to really hurt the Russian forces.

Well that's definitely optimism in action. I wonder if they know something we don't? Here's hoping they do.

The Orcs seem to have a different definition of 'Nazi', which has lead to misunderstanding. To them it appears to have been corrupted and generalised to mean anyone 'opposed to our expansionist aims and the violence we engage in to achieve them'. I'm not even sure it's not just a synonym for 'enemy', now. They have comprehensively perverted and denatured the word.

@Larbre34 They aren't great for dogfighting, but its not like Russia has fleets of serviceable air-superiority fighters and pilots to fly them, so it won't be a big issue.

They aren't great for dogfighting,it's was primarily designed to be a dogfighter,it fast, highly menuverable,and highly unstable,

Since when are they not great dog fighters

Given their superior garmin & gaffer tape navigation they probably can't find Ukraine

Since the fighter planes of the rest of the World moved on.

Yes, when designed 50 odd years ago, the F-16 was a capable enough dogfighter, but it can't match Gen 4/4.5 aircraft in really any facet; acceleration, top speed, manoeuvrability, range/endurance on station, payload - the lot.

Its a single engined plane in a twin engined world and by far the least capable fighter still in American service.

In a straight fight, a Squadron of Mig-29s or Su-35s would make absolute mincemeat of a Squadron of F-16s and remember, any planes donated to Ukraine would be reactivated C/D variants at best.

However, a straight fight is not what we are looking at. Ukraine need a simple multirole fighter/bomber and so the 'jack of all trades, master of none' that is the F-16, is ideal.

Various UK media have it today that active discussions are underway to fast-track the supply of long range missile artillery systems and aircraft, to complement the advanced fixed air defence systems and ensure any new Russian offensive is frustrated from the off.

Then when the heavy armour comes into play it will spearhead the counter-offensive and retaking of territory, protected above and behind by the previously delivered systems.

Pavel Otdelnov, Russian artist, might be telling you something about Russia - Pavel Otdelnov site (click on 'Works'. 'Russian nowhere' is interesting)

The recent crackdown on corruption in Ukraine brought this to mind.

European Union Advisory Mission Ukraine (EUAM Ukraine) is a civilian Common Security & Defence Policy (CSDP) mission of the European Union.[1] It aims to assist Ukrainian authorities to reform civilian security sector. It provides strategic advice and practical support to make Ukrainian civilian security sector more effective, efficient, transparent and enjoying public trust. EUAM Ukraine works with a number of law enforcement and rule of law institutions of Ukraine, and it formally began operation on 1 December 2014, following Ukrainian Government's request.

I watched an interesting 30 minute video on YouTube last night made by a Russian guy about Solovyov. He's an absolute spoofer of course who doesn't believe in anything and who made his millions through dodgy and corrupt links with Putin. He'll say whatever the regime pays him to say.