Ukraine receives US-made F-16s after long wait
- 1 August, 07:13
Ukraine on Wednesday received the much-needed US-made F-16 fighter jets after months of training of pilots. The Nato countries sent the combat aircraft in an attempt to boost Ukraine’s defences amidst Russia’s offensive on the frontline. According to Bloomberg that cited an unnamed source familiar with the matter, the number of the fighter jets supplied to Ukraine is small. Kyiv has not convirmed the reports about the delivery of F-16 fighter jets yet.
Ukraine has long sought the receipt of American combat aircraft and has been training its pilots in NATO countries. Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskiy has repeatedly pleaded to Western allies to provide his country with F-16s, saying that these fighter jets were essential in defending Ukraine’s skies and to push back against Russia’s aerial dominance.
The first batch of United States-built F-16 fighters was started to be transferred from Denmark and the Netherlands in mid-July, according to US Secretary of State Antony Blinken. US President Joe Bide approved the transfer of F-16s to Ukraine in August despite concerns over Ukrainian pilots’ ability to use the jets. It’s uncertain whether Ukrainian pilots, now trained on F-16s, will be immediately ready for combat or if it will take additional time, according to sources familiar with the matter.
The F-16 Fighting Falcon, a renowned American air superiority fighter manufactured by General Dynamics, has been a top request from Kyiv since Russia’s full-scale invasion began.
