Netherlands and Denmark pledge 61 F-16 fighter jets to Ukraine's air force

This announcement follows months of persistent appeals from Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskiy for bolstering his country's aerial defense capabilities.

Danish Prime Minister Mette Frederiksen outlined Denmark's contribution strategy, revealing plans to supply 19 F-16 jets in stages. The proposed timeline includes delivering six jets around the upcoming new year, followed by an additional eight jets the following year, with the remaining five scheduled for transfer by 2025. Frederiksen emphasized that this contribution symbolizes Denmark's unwavering backing for Ukraine's pursuit of freedom and security.

Dutch Prime Minister Mark Rutte, while not providing a precise count, indicated that the Netherlands currently maintains 42 F-16 jets within its air force fleet. Rutte underscored that the Netherlands is in the process of upgrading its aircraft to the more advanced US-manufactured F-35s.

At a joint press conference held at the Eindhoven airbase, Prime Minister Rutte confirmed the shared commitment of both the Netherlands and Denmark to transfer F-16 aircraft to the Ukrainian air force. Rutte clarified that the transfer would be executed from existing stockpiles once the requisite conditions for the handover are met.

President Zelenskiy expressed his gratification, showcasing a photograph of himself and Rutte in front of one of the F-16 jets, and later releasing a video of him entering the cockpit. Zelenskiy announced that an accord had been reached with Rutte, specifying a total of 42 F-16 jets to be transferred to Ukraine. Zelenskiy underlined that this step marks just the initial phase in fortifying Ukraine's air defense capabilities.

However, the transfer of the F-16 jets is contingent upon the successful completion of pilot and ground crew training. The training curriculum is projected to span six months, encompassing pilot skill acquisition, followed by an additional four-month period dedicated to attaining the required level of proficiency in technical English for the pilot crews. (ILKHA)