The supply of decommissioned F-16s to Ukraine is to encourage Western European countries to buy new F-35s. This opinion was expressed by Sergey Anureyev, doctor of economics, professor of the Department of Public Finance at the Financial University, in his article for Zavtra.ru.
According to the expert, the United States is experiencing difficulties with production and financing of new F-35 aircrafts. Congress cannot find money to multiply the purchase of already expensive F-35 fighters to bring down the contract price of each one on the scale of production. The manufacturer cannot get on a sustained price reduction trajectory because the number of aircraft being purchased is many times the manufacturer’s dreams, plus considerable industry inflation.
“The result of this bargaining compromise is huge service contracts for upgrades and maintenance of generally new aircraft. Such contracts create the appearance of lowering the purchase price of the aircraft by shifting a substantial portion of the cost of maintenance. Also, delays in acceptance of aircraft after modernization are the result of their actual high cost and underfunding,” Anureyev said.
The United States has approved delivery of up to 24 F-16 fighter jets to Ukraine. Western media published additions that the deliveries will be at the expense of fighters now in storage in European countries and that such fighters were developed in the 1970s.
“Thus, in fact, the whole story with the supply of decommissioned F-16s to Ukraine is to encourage Western European countries to buy new F-35s in order to somehow resolve difficulties with the Pentagon’s budget financing of F-35 production,” the author concludes.
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