After a long wait, time that was spent training crews and technical personnel, the Ukrainian Air Force received its first batch of F-16 Fighting Falcon fighter-bombers. Despite various media outlets providing some details about the arrival of the new combat aircraft in Ukraine, there has been no official statement from Kyiv on the matter.
Bloomberg was the first to report the arrival of the F-16s in Ukraine, citing confidential sources. The portal detailed that the delivery of this initial batch met the goals set for the accelerated program that the Ukrainian Air Force went through, aiming for July 2024 for the arrival of the first units. The process was not without challenges and complications, as Ukrainian pilots and technicians trained in various European countries and the U.S. had to overcome language barriers.
Another important aspect is that the Ukrainian crews were trained under an accelerated process, cutting some phases of their training. This first batch of F-16 Fighting Falcons arrives in Ukraine 18 months after the program was announced, an insufficient time to properly train and prepare its pilots. Various analysts and experts have confirmed this, casting doubt on whether the fighters will have a short-term impact.
One of the critical aspects of the initiative pushed by the Netherlands, Denmark, and Norway was the availability of Ukrainian pilots, as the Air Force could not release a significant percentage of its personnel, who are fighting daily against the Russian Armed Forces since the invasion on February 24, 2022. Considering the casualties suffered in over two years of conflict, allied countries have also started training and preparing Ukrainian personnel at various levels, ensuring a flow of human resources to some extent.
Regarding the quantities of the initial batch, The Times detailed that “…A source familiar with the matter said that six aircraft had been supplied to Ukraine from the Netherlands, and more would soon arrive from Denmark. The Ukrainian Air Force declined to comment…,” as mentioned on other occasions. The goal is for the Ukrainian Air Force to have around twenty F-16AM/BM fighter-bombers by the end of the year.
With the approval of the U.S., Denmark, the Netherlands, and Norway have committed to delivering 65 F-16AM/BM fighter-bombers to Ukraine, a number not entirely allocated to combat operations since some units will be used as spare parts sources and others reserved for additional personnel training. Belgium also expects to join the program with the intention of transferring around 30 Fighting Falcons. Although there has been speculation that Greece might join the initiative with its F-16C/D Block 30, it has not been confirmed whether Athens is willing to take that step.
As of the end of yesterday, some portals detailed that Ukrainian F-16s might have already conducted their first combat missions, with some images and videos going viral, although it has not been confirmed if they depict Ukrainian Fighting Falcons.
Illustrative cover image. Credits: USAF – Tech. Sgt. Christopher Ruano
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