Navy Commander explains role of F-16s for operations at sea

"The war continues, and now the enemy has air superiority in... part of the Black Sea. That's why we need Western F-16 multipurpose fighters not only for successful operations on land but also at sea," Commander of the Navy of the Armed Forces of Ukraine, Vice Admiral Oleksii Neizhpapa told ArmiyaInform in an interview.

According to him, Ukraine's potential has grown since the beginning of the full-scale invasion, primarily due to the arrival of new models of missile weapons and other assistance from Western partners. Currently, the Navy is armed with the Harpoon anti-ship missile system which has already proven itself very well during military operations to defend Ukraine. This system, in particular, sank a Russian supply ship that had a Tor air defense system on board and was heading to Snake Island to provide weapons to a Russian garrison and deliver a fresh batch of invaders for reinforcements, the Navy commander added.

"If we compare the potential at the beginning of the large-scale aggression between us and the Russian fleet, then it was in favor of the Russians. But our country has not stood still and built up our fleet, constantly moved forward. A clear example of this, in particular, is the implementation of missile programs that were approved by the Supreme Commander-in-Chief of the Armed Forces of Ukraine. Thanks to their implementation, Ukraine’s Neptun missile system was created, Neizhpapa emphasized.