The first F-16 fighter jets have arrived in Ukraine.

The Ukrainian political and military leadership is seeking to strengthen its Air Force, which has suffered losses in the two and a half years of war.

The F-16s were high on the list of weapons the Ukrainian government wanted its Western allies to supply because of their capabilities and wide international availability.

The multi-role combat aircraft, equipped with a 20 mm gun, can employ a wide range of weapons.

A US official, who spoke on condition of anonymity, confirmed that the delivery of the first batch of fighters had been completed. As of this stage, the Ukrainian Air Force has not responded to Reuters’ request for comment.

It is recalled that yesterday Wednesday Bloomberg reported the information that a small number of F-16s were delivered to Ukraine.

Denmark has pledged to donate 16 fighters of the type, and the Netherlands another 24. Norway plans to donate another 6. The Danish and Dutch governments have spearheaded the formation of a “coalition” to supply the aircraft to Kiev. In total, the Ukrainian government is seeking more than 100 to be handed over so it can regain what it says is air superiority.

Dozens of operators and ground staff have been trained by Ukraine’s Western allies in recent months.

The Ukrainian armed forces have relied on a comparatively small fleet of Soviet-era aircraft in the war so far, and Kiev sees the procurement of the F-16s as a vital upgrade for the Ukrainian Air Force.

Analysts and officials, however, point out that by themselves, the F-16s will not change the course of the war, which broke out when Russian troops invaded in late February 2022.

With information from: Reuters, AMNA

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