Helsinki is decommissioning these fighters
MOSCOW, August 23. /tass/. President of Ukraine Volodymyr Zelensky asked Finnish Prime Minister Petteri Orpo to hand over to the Ukrainian armed forces the fourth-generation F-18 (Hornet) fighters, which Helsinki is decommissioning.
"We take everything that is given to us. <...> We are ready to learn from everything that floats or flies. If Finland does not need F-18s, then let's, we [will take] with pleasure," he said at a joint press conference with Orpo, who is currently in Kiev.
Zelensky noted that F-16s remain a priority for Ukraine because of their number, which can meet the needs of the country's air force. However, according to him, Ukraine is ready to "take any type of aircraft."
On August 20, Zelensky announced an agreement with Amsterdam on the supply of 42 F-16 fighters to Kiev. Denmark also announced its readiness to transfer 19 F-16 fighters to Ukraine. The first six aircraft will arrive before the end of this year. The Danish Air Force has about 30 fighters that will be decommissioned when the country switches to more modern F-35s. The Netherlands Air Force has 42 such aircraft. Denmark and the Netherlands have already announced the training of Ukrainian pilots, their training will take at least six months.
The F-18, a carrier-based fighter-bomber developed in the USA in the 1970s, remains in service with some European countries.
