The White House and US lawmakers are skeptical of a proposed deal under which Poland or other Eastern European allies would supply Ukraine with old Russian-made aircraft and then replace them with US-made F-16 fighter jets.
Sen. Marco Rubio (R-Fla.), the top Republican on the Senate Intelligence Committee, said on Monday that the floating transfer of planes has run into a number of practical problems.
“Who will fly them? Where are you going to take them from? Can you protect them from Russian attempts to attack the supply lines? he told reporters on Monday evening. “There is a real possibility that a NATO country will suffer as collateral damage. All of a sudden you have a big problem.”
Officials in Poland and other Eastern European countries are skeptical of the idea, as it was first put forward by Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky as a way to provide his country with Russian-made aircraft, which would then be replaced by new American-made fighter jets.
On Sunday, Poland’s prime minister’s office denied reports of a potential deal. A senior Slovak official said there were “no discussions” about this prospect. It is not known how many aircraft will be involved.
The White House also highlighted the logistical challenges. “Of course, we are not obstructing, blocking or discouraging Poland,” White House press secretary Jen Psaki said on Monday. “They make their own decisions. But it’s not as easy as just moving planes.”
Sen. Chris Van Hollen (D-Md.) said he supported the idea but highlighted two obstacles: first, whether Poland wants to transfer the planes to Ukraine and how it will be done; and, secondly, the production and refueling of these aircraft with American jet engines. “The question is, how fast can you do it?” he said.
Pentagon spokesman Admiral John Kirby said on Monday that any potential transfer of combat aircraft to Poland is still being evaluated, including how many they might need and for how long.
Lockheed Martin has produced more than 4,500 F-16s in service in 26 countries, and more than 2,000 aircraft are in the US Air Force.
Lockheed Martin said supply chain issues have delayed production at a new facility in Greenville, South Carolina, and the company does not expect the first of the upgraded aircraft to be produced until 2023. The company turned over any discussions of potential sales to the US government. .
Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell (R-Kentucky) chided the Biden administration for moving too slowly to help Ukraine get the jets in a Senate floor speech on Tuesday.
“It has been clear for some time that Ukraine would benefit from receiving Soviet-era aircraft and air defense systems from our NATO partners on the eastern flank, who still maintain stockpiles of such weapons,” Mr. McConnell said, urging the US to restock .
“This needs to be done and done yesterday, Mr. President,” he said.