Ukraine hopes to receive six F-16 fighter jets this summer and 20 by year's end
Ukraine is expecting to receive six F-16 fighters from its Western partners this summer and a total of up to 20 aircraft by the end of 2024.
Source: Bloomberg, citing its own sources, as reported by European Pravda
Details: According to sources familiar with the situation, the process of sending military aircraft to Ukraine is still being hampered by spare parts shortages and the language barrier between Ukrainian pilots and their instructors.
Those involved are particularly concerned that Ukraine does not have enough runways, and those it does have are vulnerable to Russian strikes.
According to one of the sources, Ukraine will likely be able to deploy a squadron of F-16s ranging from 15 to 24 aircraft. Another agency spokesperson stated that Kyiv expects to receive six F-16s this summer and up to 20 by the end of the year.
The F-16 challenges are so serious that they have raised concerns about the feasibility of sending aircraft to Ukraine and whether this is a costly show of support for President Volodymyr Zelenskyy, Bloomberg says. A senior NATO officer who spoke to the agency identified three major concerns for F-16 delivery planners.
First of all, the aircraft must be reconfigured according to their mission, such as reconnaissance or combat. Second, Ukraine has few of the long, high-quality runways required for the F-16, or shelters to protect them from Russian strikes. Third, the aircraft’s support logistics are complex, ranging from the need for spare parts to maintenance and finding engineers.
Another NATO representative noted that Ukraine is trying to achieve in a few months what usually takes three to four years.
In an email responding to queries from journalists, a spokesman for Lockheed Martin, the manufacturer of the F-16, stated that "we continue to support the US government's response to the conflict in Ukraine", but did not elaborate on how service or components for the jets will be managed.
Jake Sullivan, Biden's top national security adviser, confirmed on Thursday that aircraft transfers have now begun.
On 10 July, the leaders of the United States, Denmark and the Netherlands, who head the fighter jet coalition, announced that Ukraine will receive its first F-16s this summer.
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