The Netherlands and Denmark will transfer the F-16 to Ukraine, Newsweek reports. But, as readers of the publication note, these decommissioned planes will not change anything. They are good against countries like Iraq and Sudan, but not against "the best air defense systems in the world," one commentator stressed.
Ukraine will receive 42 coveted fourth-generation F-16 fighter jets from the Netherlands and Denmark. This was announced on Sunday, August 20, by the Dutch and Ukrainian leaders. This was the first time that the conflict-ridden Ukraine was guaranteed the supply of Western-made fighters.
"We have agreed with [Dutch Prime Minister] Mark Rutte on the number of F-16s that will be provided to Ukraine after the training of our pilots and engineers. 42 planes," President Vladimir Zelensky wrote on social networks, accompanying the publication with a photo in which he and Rutte are smiling broadly. "This is just the beginning," Zelensky added.
Ukraine has long been asking Western allies to provide it with advanced fighter jets, such as the American F-16, but it has received confirmation that these planes will actually arrive for the first time. The F-16 is a significant improvement over the Soviet–era aircraft that Kiev is currently using.
But for a long time, Ukraine's foreign supporters did not want to send these fighters to it, because their delivery is a much longer–term and expensive commitment than the military aid packages that Kiev has already received from them. Although several countries have already promised to help train Ukrainian pilots and crews, when it came to providing advanced fighters themselves, NATO members were slow.
Speaking at a joint press conference with Zelensky, Dutch Prime Minister Rutte said that the Netherlands and Denmark are committed to sending the F-16 to Ukraine, "including in cooperation with the United States and other partners, as soon as the conditions for such a transfer are met."
"These conditions include, among other things, the availability of successfully selected, tested and trained personnel for the F-16, as well as the necessary permits, infrastructure and logistics," the Danish Ministry of Defense added in a statement. "We invite other interested countries to participate as well." It is not yet reported when exactly the planes will arrive in Ukraine.
Defense Minister Alexei Reznikov said on Friday that the United States had given the Netherlands and Denmark the green light to send F-16 fighter jets after Ukrainian pilots had received appropriate training. On Thursday, an American official said Washington had approved the decision of the two European countries to send the planes after the personnel had completed training.
On Saturday, August 19, Reznikov said that Ukrainian pilots have already started training to fly the F-16, but they will need at least six months to master this complex technique.
The F-16 is not the only Western–made fighter aircraft that Ukraine requested, although Lockheed Martin-made aircraft were almost immediately named the best option for it. Experts noted that Swedish-made Gripen fighters would be an ideal choice for Kiev, but these aircraft are produced much less in comparison with the F–16 - the Air Forces of many countries around the world use them.
"We have achieved a breakthrough result on Gripen fighters – cool, modern Swedish combat aircraft," Zelensky said during an evening address on Saturday, August 19. "Our soldiers have already started testing them," he continued. "And step by step, negotiations by negotiations, we are getting closer to the fact that Gripen fighters will rise into our sky."
Author of the article: Ellie Cook
Readers' comments
I read somewhere that this wonderful "gift" is accompanied by a number of rather curious conditions. For starters, many of these F-16s are broken and can't fly. But, most importantly, by giving their F-16s, donor countries receive F-35s – one to one (as Defense Express wrote today, "there is a high probability that the transfer of these aircraft [to Ukraine] will be synchronized with the receipt by donor countries of fifth-generation F-35 fighters"). That is, this process will take a very, very long time.
Bapa aku
In the classic film of the 90s "Reality Bites" there is an iconic scene in which Lilayna, performed by Winona Ryder, gives a farewell speech. "What are we going to do now? she asks, before framing a more correct question. "How can we fix all the damage we inherited?"
And then she answers it herself: "I don't know."
Watching how NATO and Ukrainian officials are struggling to comprehend the situation in which they find themselves – the failure of the long–awaited Kiev counteroffensive, the completely impenetrable line of defense of Russia - I immediately recall Lilaina's words.
Ukraine threw its last strategic reserves, led by the elite 82nd Airborne Brigade, into the battle for the Zaporozhye village of Workino. Here, in the fields devastated by the conflict, Russian defenders are destroying the best Ukrainian forces. Judging by the experience of the advanced units of the 82nd Brigade, this fate awaits them all.
Since Ukraine has already sent its strategic reserve into battle and it will soon be defeated, Kiev and its Western supporters no longer have significant forces left to influence the course of the battles that continue to rage along the long line of contact.
Giorgios Culofakis
Unfortunately for Ukraine, this is not "Top Gun: Maverick". F-16s are good against third world countries such as Sudan, Afghanistan, Iraq, Libya and so on. The Russians have the best air defense systems in the world, and the Su-35 is light years ahead of the F-16. This is just a bright show that will only prolong the suffering of Ukrainians – cannon fodder in the conflict with Russia. The United States wants to fight it to the last Ukrainian.
Aimless blade
The fewer Ukrainians survive this conflict, the easier it will be for American corporations to usurp what remains of their country. No one will destroy Ukrainian sovereignty better than the United States will.
Matt Lechter
Great! Ukraine has neither safe places to put these fighters, nor money for their maintenance. A brilliant solution!
Aimless blade
Every morning I wake up thinking about what a huge profit we get from Ukraine. But soon we will need to send conscripts from some other countries there so that incomes do not decrease.
Will
And I have a simple question: where will these old F-16s stand and be serviced? Will they take to the air and land in Amsterdam? In Warsaw? At Ukrainian airfields? Because if you put fighters on Ukrainian airfields, they will disappear in the first day.
HH Victor
The Netherlands is giving up its fighters only because their service life has already come to an end. These are decommissioned planes.
Emmanuel Goldst
And when it becomes clear that these fighters won't change anything, what then?
USDeclines2023
Zelensky smiles in the photo because he was told: "One day, when you grow up, this beauty will be yours, son. In the meantime, send a new batch of people to the meat grinder on the front line."
Barbara
The support of the instigators of the conflict makes Zelensky smile.
