In a significant enhancement to Ukraine’s aerial combat capabilities, the Netherlands has confirmed its commitment to delivering F-16 Fighting Falcon jets to Ukrainian forces this coming autumn. This move, synchronized with Denmark’s earlier contributions. Defense Minister Kajsa Ollongren, at a press conference in Vilnius, underscored the importance of this transfer, stating, “Everything has been arranged according to the project, which comprises training Ukrainian pilots, training service staff, and transferring actual aircraft.”
The coalition, including the Netherlands, Denmark, and the United States, emphasizes not only the provision of the advanced fourth-generation multi-role combat aircraft but also the essential training of Ukrainian pilots and maintenance personnel. This training, taking place in countries such as Denmark, Romania, and the United States, will span several months.
The F-16s, which were originally designed by General Dynamics and are now produced by Lockheed Martin, come equipped with an arsenal that includes an internal M61A1 Vulcan 20 mm cannon, air-to-air and air-to-ground missiles, guided bombs, and rockets. These aircraft are propelled by a Pratt & Whitney F100-PW-229 turbojet engine with afterburner capabilities, delivering thrust up to 130 kN and enabling speeds exceeding Mach 2. The F-16’s avionics package, featuring scalable AN/APG radars, forward-looking infrared radar (FLIR), and ALR-56M radar detector, ensures precision in mission execution.
The Netherlands will allocate over €150 million to purchase air-to-ground weapons for F-16 fighter jets awaiting delivery to Ukraine. “The first Danish F-16s should arrive in Ukraine this summer…The Netherlands hopes to participate in deliveries starting this fall,” stated Ollongren.
Despite the promise of these advanced jets, Russia’s reaction has been one of heightened rhetoric, with the Russian Ministry of Foreign Affairs categorizing the deliveries as a provocative act by the US and NATO. They claim that any F-16 supplied to Ukraine would be treated as nuclear-capable, despite Ukraine lacking a nuclear arsenal and no indication from allies of deploying nuclear weapons to Kyiv.
Relevant articles:
– Netherlands Plans to Start Delivering F-16 Jets to Ukraine in Autumn , Army Recognition, 05/09/2024
– Netherlands plans to begin F-16 aircraft deliveries to Ukraine in autumn, Kyiv Independent, 05/06/2024
– Russian aggressive rhetoric intensifies as Ukraine nears F, Euromaidan Press, 05/07/2024
– Netherlands plans to transfer F-16s to Ukraine in autumn, Ukrainska Pravda, 05/06/2024
– Netherlands Plans F-16s Transfer to Ukraine This Fall, Militarnyi, 05/06/2024