Green light for Denmark and the Netherlands from the US: The two countries are allowed to hand over F-16 fighter jets to Ukraine. But only after pilot training has been completed. So it will take some time before the jets arrive in Kiev.
Ukraine has been actively seeking US-made F-16 fighter jets to counter Russian air superiority. The United States now says it has authorized F-16 fighter jets to be sent to Ukraine from Denmark and the Netherlands once pilot training is complete. A representative of the US government announced this on Thursday.
Denmark and the Netherlands, who lead the education coalition, had recently asked Washington for those commitments. Both countries have received assurances that permit applications will be expedited so that the fighter jets can be delivered to Kiev once training of the Ukrainian pilots and technicians is complete, a US State Department spokesman confirmed to the German news agency in Washington. . . We appreciate that Denmark and the Netherlands are leading this coalition to train Ukrainian pilots.
Ukraine tempers expectations
Ukraine had announced earlier this year that it no longer expected the long-awaited F-16 jets. “It is clear that we cannot defend Ukraine with F-16s this fall and winter,” Air Force spokesman Yuriy Ihnat said on Ukrainian television. After all, it is an advancement that Ukrainian pilots and technicians can start training on the jets “in the near future”, Ihnat was quoted as saying by Ukrainian media on Thursday evening.
A coalition led by Denmark and the Netherlands formed this summer in NATO to train Ukrainian pilots for the use of the F-16. The US also agreed. At the time it was said that aircraft could later also be sold from stock in the Netherlands, Belgium, Denmark or Norway.
Training has not yet been organized
The United States must authorize the transfer of military aircraft from its allies to Ukraine, because the machines are built by the American company Lockheed Martin and have sensitive technology on board. That’s why Washington has a say in who gets trained.
However, the promised training between those involved has not yet been organised. The current ground offensive by Ukrainian troops is suffering from the lack of air protection and is progressing less quickly than Kiev had hoped.
Source: Krone
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