Denmark, Norway and the Netherlands may transfer 50 fourth-generation F-16AM/BM aircraft to Ukraine to form 3-4 fighter squadrons
Months of lobbying by Ukrainian officials have resulted in Ukraine receiving US F-16 Fighting Falcon fourth-generation fighter jets. At the first stage, the allies may transfer such a number of planes, which will be enough to form several squadrons.
Here's What We Know
The training programme, to be led by the Netherlands and Denmark, means that at least one foreign ally of Ukraine will send US fourth-generation fighter jets to the warring country. The only question remains - the quantity.
According to Forbes, the Ukrainian Air Force can count on at least 50 supersonic F-16s. The donors will be the countries that have ordered the F-35 Lightning II. However, not all states that will receive fifth-generation fighters are ready to give up the F-16s.
The main candidate is the Netherlands. The small European country has 24 F-16AM/BM aircraft in service and 18 in storage in flying condition. Denmark has about 50 fighters, including about three dozen F-16AM/BM in use. Norway also has the Fighting Falcon. The Scandinavian country has about a dozen old planes in the hangar.
If Denmark, Norway and the Netherlands they agree to export F-16s, Ukraine can count on 50 fighters. That is enough to form three or four squadrons of 12 to 16 planes.
Such a number of formations is enough to gain air supremacy in a separate segment of the front. Serhiy Holubtsov, brigadier general of the Ukrainian Air Force, stated this.
As for the USA, they have more F-16s than any other country. There are hundreds of Block 25 and Block 30/32 level aircraft in long-term storage. However most of the fighters are based in the Arizona desert and have not flown for decades. Note that Arizona is home to US Air Force base Davis-Monthan. Here more than 4400 units of military aviation equipment and some spaceships are stored on preservation.
The US military will need an overhaul before it can send the planes to Ukraine. This could take months. For this reason, European F-16AM/BMs are the best short-term solution to meet the Ukrainian Air Force's fighter needs. The US F-16C/D may be the long-term choice.
Source: Forbes
