US Prepares to Provide F-16 Fighter Jets to Ukraine for Enhanced Protection

America has agreed to provide F-16 fighter jets to Ukraine. According to Reuters, Washington has said that the Netherlands and Denmark will deliver the fighter jets to Ukraine after pilot training is completed. In fact, Ukraine has long sought fighter jets for war against Russia.

For this, a coalition of 11 countries decided to train Ukrainian pilots to fly fighter jets. This training will start from this month itself. After this, Denmark and the Netherlands sought assurances from the US for the delivery of fighter aircraft. Danish Defense Minister Trolls Poulsen said – after the training, it is expected that its positive results will be visible as early as next year.

Foreign Minister Blinken Expressed His Agreement in a Letter

According to Reuters, Foreign Minister Antony Blinken has written to the Netherlands and Denmark to confirm. He wrote – America has full support for supplying F-16 fighter jets to Ukraine and training pilots. Blinken said – at the moment it is most important that Ukraine can protect itself at any cost.

US President Joe Biden supported training programs for Ukrainian pilots on the F-16 in May. For this, apart from Denmark, a training center will also be built in Romania. Ukrainian Air Force spokesman Yuriy Ihnat said on Wednesday that he fears Ukraine will not be able to use the fighter jets this year.

Ukraine Had Requested F-16 Fighter Jets in January

following the receipt of Leopard tanks from Germany and Abrams tanks from the US in January. Yuri Sak, adviser to the Minister of Defense of Ukraine, said – Ukraine’s next challenge is to buy fighter jets. If we get it, we will surely have a huge advantage on the battlefield. However, Germany refused to provide fighter jets to Ukraine.

On January 29, German Chancellor Olaf Scholzen gave an interview. In which he said that immediately after accepting the demand for tanks, Ukraine’s demand for fighter jets is wrong. He said – only Ukraine is fighting a war against Russia, not NATO, we cannot prolong the war by sending weapons.

Ukraine has said that it does not want a conventional fighter jet but wants the US’s fourth-generation F-16 fighter aircraft. However, in a January 30 press conference, Biden rejected Ukraine’s demands.

Ukraine is Using Soviet-era Fighter Jets

According to a BBC report, the F-16 Falcon is considered one of the most reliable fighter jets in the world. Apart from America, Belgium and Pakistan also use it a lot.

According to the report, if Ukraine had received these fighter jets, it would have had a definite advantage in the war. In fact, Ukraine is still using nearly 30-year-old Soviet-era fighter jets, which have not proven very effective in combat.