Gosh, that's complex... really: complex.

'Supplying F-16s' sounds like logical, even sexy because simple.

Gosh, that's complex... really: complex.

'Supplying F-16s' sounds like logical, even sexy because simple.

There are 300+ of them in storage (at AMARC), and thus the US industry would be happy to overhaul them and send them to Ukraine. That would not only 'keep in business' related business for few years, but at least a decade in advance.

However, doing that is not only a matter of political decisions (including a true provocation of Putin), but - and foremost - a matter of necessary infrastructure and maintenance support.

Ukraine has the infrastructure and personnel necessary to maintain and operate ex-Soviet types: MiG-29, Su-24, Su-25, Su-27 etc. But, it has no infrastructure and no personnel with experience on anything made in the West. So, as first, it would take time to train operating and maintaining Western aircraft.

As next, it would have to re-build its air bases. F-16 simply can't operate from the mass of Ukrainian air bases under current conditions - if for no other reason then because it requires very clean runways (intake is under the fuselage, and thus the engine is 'sucking' all the possible rocks, dust etc. from the runway) - so clean, Ukrainians do not have anything of that kind. Nor do they have the necessary cleaning equipment.

....and so on and on and on.... as said: it's complex.