But an expert said it will likely suffer from a significant capability gap: close air support. Because this is where they'll feel their lack of aircraft to attack those, the close air support which F-16s would do very well." Close air support is pretty much what it sounds like — aircraft working closely with ground units, usually to clear out obstacles or damage key positions or weapons so that foot soldiers and armor can advance. The F-16 has distinguished itself in the past in close air support, including in the Kosovo War, the First Gulf War and in the US invasion of Afghanistan. As a Pentagon spokesman said in a recent briefing, F-16s to Ukraine is a "long-term" endeavor and "will not be relevant to the upcoming counter offensive."

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Persons: —, Michael Clarke, Per Clarke, Volodymyr Zelenskyy, Ryan Pickrell Organizations: Service, of, King's College London, The Times, NATO, —, Biden Administration, Pentagon Locations: Ukraine, Russian, London, Russia, Kosovo, Afghanistan