US approves sending F-16 fighter jets from Denmark & Netherlands to Ukraine: Report

The US Secretary of State, Antony Blinken, has announced that the United States has granted approval for the transfer of F-16 fighter jets to Ukraine from Denmark and the Netherlands. The transfer will take place once pilot training is finished.

According to a letter sent to Blinken's counterparts in Denmark and the Netherlands, Washington will prioritise and accelerate the process of approving the transfer requests for the F-16s, reported The Guardian. It is a requirement that the US approves the transfer of these military aircraft from its allied nations to Ukraine.

“I am writing to express the United States’ full support for both the transfer of F-16 fighter aircraft to Ukraine and for the training of Ukrainian pilots by qualified F-16 instructors,” Blinken said in the letter.

“It remains critical that Ukraine is able to defend itself against ongoing Russian aggression and violation of its sovereignty.”

In May, US President Joe Biden gave his support to training initiatives for Ukrainian pilots to operate F-16s. Alongside Denmark, plans were made to establish a training center in Romania. In response to this endorsement, Russia expressed concerns, asserting that supplying F-16s to Ukraine posed significant risks to Western countries.

A coalition consisting of 11 nations is set to commence training Ukrainian pilots for F-16 aircraft this month in Denmark. Troels Lund Poulsen, Denmark's acting defence minister, mentioned in July that they anticipate observing "results" from the training by early 2024.

Ukraine unconvinced of F-16s delivery this year

The recent approval from the US comes just one day after Ukraine stated that, considering the current timeline, it would not be in a position to have the jets operational by the autumn or winter seasons.

“It’s already obvious we won’t be able to defend Ukraine with F-16 fighter jets during this autumn and winter,” Ukraine air force spokesperson Yuriy Ihnat told Ukrainian television late on Wednesday. “We had big hopes for this plane, that it will become part of air defence, able to protect us from Russia’s missiles and drones terrorism.”

Ukraine’s Foreign Minister, Dmytro Kuleba, said: “Ukrainian pilots will return from the training, and the planes will come back with them.”

Blinken wrote that the approval of the requests would allow Ukraine to take “full advantage of its new capabilities as soon as the first set of pilots complete their training”. On July 12, Kuleba indicated that F-16s were projected to become operational in Ukraine, with trained pilots capable of flying them, by March 2024.

F-16s jets to have limited impact in Ukraine's counteroffensive

At the onset of the conflict, Ukraine possessed a modest air force comprising Soviet-standard jets. To enhance its capabilities against Russian air dominance, Ukraine actively pursued the acquisition of US-manufactured F-16 fighters. However, US officials have indicated that the F-16 jets would have limited impact on Ukraine's ongoing counteroffensive and would not significantly alter the situation upon their eventual deployment. This assessment considers the presence of Russian air defense systems and the contested airspace over Ukraine.

The US has also highlighted challenges related to identifying a sufficient number of pilots proficient in English, a requirement for completing the training. According to a report from the New York Times, only eight combat pilots, insufficient for forming a squadron, have been identified thus far, as cited from American officials. Approximately 20 additional pilots are being dispatched to the UK this month to reportedly acquire the English terminology necessary for operating the jets.