Yes, and the F-16s will face attrition. The whole point of a F-16 in today's battlefield is it being used in co junction with the F-35.
We have a special sensor pod that attaches to the F-16 that allows it to communicate to the F-35, seeing through it's superior sensors, and the F-35 can communicate much better with satellite and naval ships and ground bases.
If Ukraine loses all it's summer deploying F-16s in a full hearted summer offensive, it will be much, much harder to upgrade them in a few years with the pods (security issues in/with the ukrainian army currently prevents this).
We would have to come up with next F-16s.
Right now, Russia's winning with no clear oath to victory for Ukraine. Russia can sustain it's meat wave losses and it keeps slowly opening up new fronts, and it sustains those too. Come spring another will open up. Eventually Ukrainians will lose the ability to hold on all fronts and keep a strategic reserve to reinforce weak positions. It is nearly there.
Thats why Ukraine is suddenky supporting a ceasefire. They need to regroup, fortify and free up military forces during a few years of truce. Russia will launch a massive tet offensive while these peace negotations are being made in order to improve their bargaining position in peace talks. It will look like hell. But they won't nuke. They already won.
