US approves sending F-16s to Ukraine from Denmark and Netherlands

JEDDAH: The US has given its approval for the Netherlands and Denmark to deliver sophisticated F-16 fighter jets to Ukraine in a major boost for Kyiv in the war with Russia.
Ukraine has been pleading for F-16s to give it a combat edge since the war began 18 months ago. This summer it launched a long-awaited counteroffensive against the Kremlin’s forces without air cover, placing its troops at the mercy of Russian aviation and artillery.
Though delivery is probably months away, Washington says the F-16s — like the advanced US Abrams tanks — will be crucial for Ukraine’s long-term security.
Ukraine has been relying on older aircraft, such as Russian-made MiG-29 and Sukhoi jets. The F-16s have newer technology and targeting capabilities. They are also
more versatile.
Helicopter pilots in eastern Ukraine welcomed the news. They said Russia had a clear advantage in the skies, but the introduction of better fighter jets could dramatically shift the balance of power Kyiv’s way.
Ukraine’s decades-old Soviet-era planes are vulnerable to air-to-air missile attacks from Russian fighter jets, said Capt. Yevgen Rakita, a spokesman for the 18th Army Aviation Brigade. “A modern war cannot be won without aviation,” he said.
It remained unclear how long it would take before the first Ukrainian pilots are ready to fly F-16s. Training by an 11-nation coalition began this month, and officials have said they hoped for pilots to be ready by early 2024.
Kyiv has been pushing hard since last year for the US-made jets, but Washington keeps tight restrictions on the resale or transfer by allies of US-made military equipment.
Ukraine’s Western allies have at times moved slowly on granting Kyiv the military support it has
requested.
President Joe Biden’s authorization last May for allies to train Ukrainian forces on how to operate the warplanes, and eventually to provide the aircraft themselves, was preceded by months of debate in Washington amid concerns that the move might escalate tensions with Russia.
In July, a senior Ukrainian official said they wanted dozens of the aircraft to back up offensive ground operations in the south, where Kyiv hopes to drive out Russian forces.
“We need 60 to 80 F-16 planes in order to close the skies well, especially in the area near the front,” said Mykhailo Podolyak, a senior aide to President Volodymyr
Zelensky.

US approves sending F-16s to Ukraine from Denmark and Netherlands