Delivery of the first Danish F-16 fighter jets to Ukraine could be delayed by up to six months, dealing a blow to Kiev's hopes of challenging Russia in the air in early 2024.
According to the Danish Ministry of Defense, Ukraine will receive the first six fighter jets in the second quarter of 2024, and not in the first days of the year as originally proposed.
“Based on the current schedule, the donation should occur in the second quarter of 2024. “The main thing is to complete the training of the Ukrainian personnel who will operate the aircraft,” Copenhagen said in a statement quoted by The Guardian and the Kyiv Post.
The timetable change was initially reported by Danish outlet Berlingske. A Ukrainian Air Force spokesman appeared to suggest shortly afterward that Ukraine had not received official confirmation of the reports and that it expected to receive the jets in the spring.
Newsweek has emailed the Danish Ministry of Defense and the Ukrainian Air Force for comment.
Danish F-16 fighter jets are seen during the Danish Air Show 2014 at Karup Air Base, June 22, 2014. The delivery of the first Danish F-16 fighter jets to Ukraine will be delayed by up to six months, according to a new report, a blow to Kiev's hopes of challenging Russia in the air in early 2024. HENNING BAGGER/AFP via Getty Images
In August 2023, Denmark and the Netherlands announced they would send F-16s to Ukraine, with the first six fighters arriving in Ukraine around New Year's Day.
Kiev had been clamoring for the jets, which would boost Ukraine's ability to rival Russia in the air and help launch more attacks on key targets. The F-16s are equipped with more modern avionics and radar and are designed to fire the standard NATO weapons that Ukraine uses with its older Soviet-era jets.
The Ukrainian Air Force has also survived the almost two-year war against Russia while reducing its available aircraft.
However, integrating the new, more advanced platform is no easy task and requires new facilities, training, infrastructure and aircraft upgrades before Ukrainian pilots can take to the skies.
On December 22, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky said the Dutch government was beginning preparations to deliver a batch of 18 F-16 jets to Ukraine.
“The delivery of F-16s is one of the most important elements of the agreements on military support for Ukraine,” said Dutch Prime Minister Mark Rutte.
Norway announced earlier this week that it would send two F-16 fighter jets to Denmark to train Ukrainian pilots on the aircraft. Belgium will also send two F-16s to Denmark for Ukrainian pilot training during 2024, Belgian broadcaster RTBF reported on Thursday.
The British Ministry of Defense said in late December that the “first cohort” of Ukrainian pilots trained by the British military had completed basic training in the country and “after completing basic training, are now learning to fly F-16 fighter jets in Denmark.” training program in the UK.”
In early November, several F-16s arrived at a Romanian facility to train Ukrainian pilots, while others were trained at an air base in Arizona.
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Newsweek strives to challenge conventional wisdom and find connections in the search for common ground.