F-16 fighters are expected to appear in Ukraine in a few weeks, but Ukrainian and Western officials warn that the planes are unlikely to have an immediate impact on the battlefield, where Russia is slowly advancing, according to an article in the Washington Post published on Sunday.

"There are simply too few of the planes and too many Russian air defenses that can shoot them down. That means the first F-16s will likely serve to boost Ukraine's air defenses — to shoot down aerial targets such as missiles, drones and aircraft — rather than strike Russia's invading ground forces and other military assets near the front," the publication reports.

Officials declined to say exactly how many jets Kyiv will receive this year, but it won’t be more than one squadron — about 20 jets — and just six pilots were projected to complete training by this summer, because the program has limited spots and has been marred by delays.

Analysts at the Center for a New American Security write that battlefield conditions have changed since the decision to send the planes was announced last year. With planes, like weapons, there is an immediate need. Often, by the time they arrive, that operational need has been eliminated.

However, the F-16s can also fill an immediate need, thanks to their dual role of shooting down enemy aircraft and hitting ground targets.

A Ukrainian defense official, speaking on condition of anonymity, told the publication that dozens of pilots had been recruited to learn to fly the F-16s. But the limited number of instructors and training centers forces Ukraine to send one group of pilots and technical personnel at a time. Ukraine also cannot afford to part with large numbers of experienced pilots for long periods of time, since they are needed for combat missions, the defense official said.