Phillips O’Brien, Professor of Strategic Studies at St Andrews University says: “Ukraine will be using the F-16s mostly for defence against air attacks.”

The US-based Center for Strategic and International Studies says they could eventually be given extra roles, external, such as attacking Russian air defence systems, command centres and supply depots, and engaging Russian aircraft in Ukrainian airspace.

Air defence systems

To counter Russian drone and missile attacks on Ukraine’s cities and infrastructure, Western nations have sent it several types of air defence system.

These range from the UK’s short-range anti-aircraft weapon, Starstreak, to the Patriot missile system.