In a potentially game-changing development for Ukraine’s ability to defend against Russian aggression, a consignment of F-16 fighter jets has arrived, dispatched by its Nato allies. This fulfilment of a longstanding promise was made by the Netherlands and Denmark, with both Belgium and Norway also committing to provide aircraft.
Reliable sources who requested anonymity confirmed that the deadline for delivery of these US-made planes was the end of the current month, and was met. However, they indicated only a limited number of aircraft are involved in this initial delivery.
The capacity of the Ukrainian pilot team to operate these technologically advanced aircraft remains uncertain, despite them having undergone extensive training with Western allies for several months.
Though the number of planes delivered currently is small, it’s expected to significantly hamper Russia’s superior air power over time. Russia’s air superiority has so far made it possible for it to severely damage the Ukrainian power infrastructure, resulting in ongoing power outages.
Representatives for Ukraine’s defence ministry, as well as the US department of defence and national security council, have declined to offer any comments regarding this development.
US president Joe Biden finally agreed to send F-16s to Ukraine in May 2023, after the Ukrainian president, Volodymyr Zelinskiy, and Nato allies consistently requested their delivery.
There was a considerable debate around whether providing F-16s to Ukraine would confer a decisive advantage, with seasoned pilots informing Bloomberg last May that the impact may not be as significant as Ukraine anticipates.
Implementation of the plan has faced multiple obstacles including delays, issues with spare parts availability, communication barriers between Ukrainian pilots and their foreign trainers, and concerns about the adequacy and vulnerability of Ukraine’s runways.
As the nature of the battlefield evolves with increased dependency on cost-effective drones and fortified Russian air defences, Ukrainian pilots have been training to operate F-16s abroad, also including in the US.
Jake Sullivan, the chief national security consultant to Biden, has expressed that the F-16s are anticipated to protect frontline troops in the immediate future and assist in reclaiming territories in subsequent times, as reported by Bloomberg.