Ukraine has acquired its first American-made F-16 fighter jets, President Volodymyr Zelensky has stated.
“F-16 in Ukraine. We did it,” President Zelensky stated at a ceremony at a secret location, flanked by the jets.
He thanked Denmark, the Netherlands and the US particularly for serving to ship the jets following 18 months of ready – although added that many extra have been wanted.
Their arrival marks a vital milestone in boosting the capabilities of Ukraine’s air pressure, which largely depends on outdated Soviet-era jets.
Mr Zelensky didn’t specify what number of plane had arrived in Ukraine – or whether or not they had all been despatched by the three Nato international locations he talked about.
Some 65 F-16s have been pledged by Nato international locations since US President Joe Biden first authorised prepared European allies to ship them to Ukraine in August 2023.
The UK doesn’t have any F-16s in its air pressure, although it’s supplying long-range Storm Shadow missiles which might be fitted to the jets.
The F-16 was launched in 1978. Many Western militaries are within the strategy of retiring the ageing fighters, changing them with the US-made F-35, launched in 2015.
The F-16s will work alongside a restricted variety of Western-supplied surface-to-air missile methods equivalent to Patriot and NASAMS that are already on the bottom.
This yr Ukraine has been underneath big menace from Russian glide bombs – bombs fitted with pop-out wing kits and steering modules to ship precision strike stand-off capabilities, just like the JDAM munitions from the US.
Round 3,000 have been dropped in March alone, principally from Su-34 fighter-bombers.
If Ukraine can defend its F-16s on the bottom, the hope is that they may play an necessary half in pushing again Russian plane to some extent the place they will now not goal Ukrainian floor forces with glide bombs.
Kyiv had prompt that it may maintain some F-16s at overseas navy bases, however that suggestion prompted President Vladimir Putin to warn that any Western bases storing Ukrainian jets can be a reputable navy goal for Russia.
Consultants additionally say the fighters may present a lot wanted air assist to Ukrainian floor forces, who’ve confronted relentless assaults in latest months, particularly within the japanese Donbas area.
Kremlin press secretary Dmitry Peskov beforehand vowed that Western-made F-16s flying for Ukraine can be “shot down”.
“However in fact, these deliveries is not going to have any vital affect on the event of occasions on the entrance,” he added.
