United States will deploy F-16 fighter fighters to Ukraine

According to a State Department official, the US has given its approval for the transfer of F-16 fighter planes produced in the US from Denmark and the Netherlands to Kiev after Ukrainian pilots have received the necessary training.

According to the representative, “Ukraine can fully utilize its new capabilities in this way,” the BBC reported on Friday.

The US is still negotiating with other nations to determine who may provide F-16s to the Ukrainian Air Force, but Denmark and the Netherlands have taken the initiative in setting up a program to educate Ukrainian pilots on the American aircraft.

The State Department spokeswoman said that the transfer of the two countries’ multi-role F-16 warplanes had received “formal assurances,” and that it will go place “as soon as the first set of pilots complete their training.”

An administration official was reported by CNN as claiming that the US has authorized the transfer of F-16 instructional materials, including training modules, paperwork, and classroom training materials, from Denmark to Ukraine.

According to the source, the transfer would enable the Danish Defense Ministry to further “their effort to stand up pilot and maintenance training programs.”

Denmark is likewise preparing to update its fleet of roughly 30 F-16s, while the Dutch are believed to have about 24 operational F-16s that will be retired from duty and replaced by more modern warplanes.

Wopke Hoekstra, the foreign minister of the Netherlands, welcomed the decision and said it “marks a major milestone for Ukraine to defend its people and its country.”

He tweeted, “Now we will continue the conversation with our European partners.”

Jakob Ellemann-Jensen, the minister of defense for Denmark, commented: “The administration has said repeatedly that a gift is a logical next step following training. He told the Danish Ritzau news agency, “We are talking about it with close allies.

The US decision was hailed as “great news” by Oleksii Reznikov, the Ukrainian defense minister, according to the BBC.

“Our military has shown that it is full of quick learners. The inevitable triumph of Ukraine will soon be shown by us. Thank you to all of our friends, allies, and collaborators in the Netherlands, Denmark, and the United States. He scrawled, “Onward to Victory!” on X.

Later this month, a coalition of 11 Western friends of Ukraine is scheduled to begin training Ukrainian pilots, who are anticipated to be ready by the end of the next year.

Numerous combat aircraft, principally MiGs, thought to be in Ukraine and all from the Soviet period.