Denmark’s transfer of 19 US-made F-16 fighter jets to Ukraine will take place in the second quarter of 2024, once Ukrainian pilots have completed their training, the Ministry of Defense announced on Saturday.
“Based on the current schedule, the donation should be made in the second quarter of 2024,” the Danish ministry said in a statement.
“the…
Denmark’s transfer of 19 US-made F-16 fighter jets to Ukraine will take place in the second quarter of 2024, once Ukrainian pilots have completed their training, the Ministry of Defense announced on Saturday.
“Based on the current schedule, the donation should be made in the second quarter of 2024,” the Danish ministry said in a statement.
“It is mainly a question of completing the training of Ukrainian personnel who will fly the planes.”
Denmark, which is replacing its F-16 jets with the more modern F-35 jets, announced in August that it would provide 19 of the jets, subject to approval from the U.S. government.
Kiev has been seeking to acquire fighter jets for years after its air force, which primarily operates Russian aircraft, suffered heavy losses. The U.S. F-16 has superior combat capabilities to the F-16 operated by Ukraine.
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But Washington had resisted allowing the transfer by jet, fearing it would be seen by the Russian government as a direct belligerent in the Ukraine war.
The Netherlands also announced the transfer of F-16s to Ukraine last August and is currently training Ukrainian pilots, but has not yet said when the 42 planes will arrive.
In his New Year’s address, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskiy vowed that Ukrainian pilots are ready to fly the F-16, which is scheduled to enter service this year.
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Since Russia’s invasion of Ukraine in February 2022, Denmark’s total aid to Ukraine has reached 2.2 billion euros ($2.4 billion).
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