How soon will Ukraine be able to use its F-16s?
F-16 Fighting Falcon fighter jets. Over the weekend, Denmark and the Netherlands announced that they would begin sending F-16s to Ukraine as soon as the training of the first group of pilots to fly them is complete. The Danish air force will donate 19 F-16s (upgraded in recent years) and the Dutch an as yet unclear number of the 42 F-16s they possess.
Norway may soon follow. The obstacle has been Washington’s reluctance to allow the transfer of the American-made jets. The stated reasons are somewhat unconvincing: that Russia would see the jets as an escalation, that they would be a distraction for Ukraine’s military planners and that it would take years before Ukraine would be able to fly and support them.
But just before the announcement over the weekend, Anthony Blinken, America’s secretary of state, gave both countries the green light for the transfer. The Ukrainian air force selected 32 pilots for F-16 training earlier this month. Eight are sufficiently fluent in English to start as soon as European allies’ training plans are approved by the Pentagon.
A further 20 are undergoing pilot language instruction in Britain. All are highly motivated and have previous experience flying fast jets. But learning to fly and fight in an F-16, becoming familiar with its avionics and weapons systems, is a complex business.
Some pilots could be ready after three months, but others will need up to six. How soon Ukraine will get significant numbers of F-16s is also uncertain. A few should be available early next year.
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