Ukraine has received the first F-16 fighter jets that it has sought for months to fight back against an onslaught of Russian missile strikes, a U.S. official confirmed to the Associated Press. Ukraine has been pushing its Western allies for F-16s for Ukraine for months, saying they were critically needed to fight back against the onslaught of missiles Russia has fired against it. The F-16 is specialized in suppressing enemy air defenses. The West has hesitantly moved toward providing the jets, after previous concerns that arming Ukraine with advanced weaponry would further escalate the war with Russia. The U.S. has also been training Ukrainian pilots on how to fly the jets and has already graduated the first group of pilots on its operation.
Quick Read
- Ukraine receives first F-16 fighter jets to bolster defenses against Russia, a US official tells AP
- F-16 Fighter Jets Arrive: Ukraine has received its first F-16 fighter jets, confirmed by a U.S. official to the Associated Press.
- Ukrainian Push for F-16s: Ukraine has been requesting F-16s for months to counter Russian missile strikes and suppress enemy air defenses.
- Western Hesitation: Western allies were initially hesitant to provide the jets, concerned about escalating the war with Russia.
- Pilot Training: The U.S. has trained Ukrainian pilots on flying the F-16s, with the first group of pilots already graduated.
- NATO Summit: During a recent visit to Washington for the NATO summit, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy urged allies to remove limitations on the use of Western-provided weapons.
- Details on Jets: It’s unclear how many jets were provided in the first tranche or which nations supplied them; the Ukrainian government has not confirmed receipt.
- U.S. Authorization: U.S. President Joe Biden authorized sending the U.S.-built warplanes to Ukraine in August 2023 after internal debate.
- NATO Contributions: Belgium, Denmark, the Netherlands, and Norway have committed to providing Ukraine with over 60 planes.
- Ukrainian Needs: Ukrainian officials say they need at least 130 F-16s to neutralize Russian air power.
- Jet Capabilities: F-16s can fly up to twice the speed of sound and have a maximum range of over 2,000 miles.
- First Report: The arrival of the jets was first reported by Bloomberg.
The Associated Press has the story:
Ukraine receives 1st F-16 fighter jets to bolster defenses against Russia, US official says
Newslooks- (AP)
Ukraine has received the first F-16 fighter jets that it has sought for months to fight back against an onslaught of Russian missile strikes, a U.S. official confirmed to the Associated Press. Ukraine has been pushing its Western allies for F-16s for Ukraine for months, saying they were critically needed to fight back against the onslaught of missiles Russia has fired against it. The F-16 is specialized in suppressing enemy air defenses. The West has hesitantly moved toward providing the jets, after previous concerns that arming Ukraine with advanced weaponry would further escalate the war with Russia. The U.S. has also been training Ukrainian pilots on how to fly the jets and has already graduated the first group of pilots on its operation.
During his visit to Washington earlier this month for the NATO summit, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy pressed NATO allies to remove all limitations on how Western-provided weapons are used, specifically allowing Ukraine to fire Western-provided weapons against an expanded set of Russian targets. It’s not clear how many jets were provided in the first tranche or which nations provided them. The Ukrainian government has not confirmed receipt of the jets.
U.S. President Joe Biden authorized sending the U.S.-built warplanes to Ukraine in August 2023. That came after months of pressure from Kyiv and internal debate in the U.S. administration where officials feared the move could escalate tensions with the Kremlin.
Belgium, Denmark, the Netherlands and Norway — all NATO members — have committed to providing Ukraine with more than 60 planes. That number is dwarfed by the Russian jet fighter fleet, which is estimated to be around 10 times larger. Ukraine needs at least 130 F-16 fighter jets to neutralize Russian air power, Ukrainian officials say. F-16s can fly up to twice the speed of sound and have a maximum range of more than 2,000 miles (3,200 kilometers). The arrival of the jets was first reported by Bloomberg.
