Countries in the West are planning to transfer fourth-generation F-16 Fighting Falcon fighter jets to Ukraine in July 2024, according to reports from foreign media cited by RIA Novosti.
According to information from The New York Times, Kyiv will receive six F-16s this summer. In total, Denmark, Norway, and the Netherlands have promised to transfer up to 60 early-model fighters to Ukraine. However, no specific timelines have been mentioned.
Yuriy Ignat, spokesperson for the Ukrainian Air Force, stated at the end of December that the Ukrainian Air Force will receive the fighters after suitable infrastructure, in line with NATO standards, is prepared for them.
Additionally, the issue of servicing these aircraft must be resolved. According to RIA Novosti, approximately 50 Ukrainian technical specialists are currently undergoing training in Denmark. It takes between eight and 14 people to maintain one F-16.
Another problem mentioned is the technical condition of the aircraft. As per the plan, the first six fighters will be provided by Denmark. The kingdom has 30 of these early-model F-16AM aircraft, which are over 30 years old. They were supposed to be disposed of by 2020, but the decision was made to transfer them to Ukraine.
Earlier, NATO set a condition for the transfer of F-16s to Ukraine.
