The Government of the Netherlands has officially confirmed receiving approval from the United States to transfer the F-16 fighter jets to the Armed Forces of Ukraine.
The Minister of Foreign Affairs of the Netherlands, Wopke Hoekstra, expressed gratitude to Washington for the swift collaboration and also mentioned that the transfer of the aircraft will be further discussed with European partners.
Read more: The New Deadlines for Completing the Training of the First Group of Ukrainian F-16 Pilots Have Been Named
“This marks a major milestone for Ukraine to defend its people and its country,” Wopke Hoekstra wrote on X.
It should be recalled that prior to the official confirmation, there was insider information from Western media citing high-ranking American sources. Besides the Netherlands, Denmark has also received the necessary approval.
However, the main question remains the quantity of aircraft that the Netherlands can transfer, as they are currently phasing out their F-16 aircraft and transitioning to F-35 fighters. There is information about 12 fighter jets that have already been retired from service, contracted by the private company Draken International, with an option for an additional 28 aircraft. There were reports about the agreement being canceled, but it’s unclear whether this pertains to a firm contract or just the option.
Consequently, a solid estimate can now be made for around 28 units of F-16 aircarft, which are certain not to be sold to Draken International and are expected to be gradually retired as the Dutch Air Force receives F-35 aircraft, with a timeline extending until the end of 2024.
However, it appears that the situation for Ukraine has unexpectedly shifted the focus from the number of aircraft to the number of pilots. According to information from anonymous sources in Western media, the initial group of experienced Ukrainian pilots consists of only six aviators. Their training, along with the ground personnel, is likely to conclude closer to the summer of 2024 based on current information. An additional six pilots are expected to finish their training by the end of 2024.
Moreover, there exists a contingent of around 20 less experienced pilots who require basic flight training. The duration of their training remains unknown, but evidently, it will be even more extended. Therefore, in this context, the timeline for introducing even 28 Dutch F-16 aircraft aligns reasonably well with these approximate schedules. Of course, this is assuming that Ukrainian specialists won’t master Western weaponry at a pace significantly faster than foreign partners anticipate.
This is precisely why the Danish F-16 fighters, totaling 30 units, will prove valuable. These aircraft are also being phased out of service to make way for the F-35 fighters. By the end of 2023, the Danish Air Force is slated to receive 17 new-generation fighters, although a portion of them will be stationed in the United States for pilot training.
Consequently, Copenhagen might be in a position to allocate around a squadron’s worth (12 units) of F-16 fighters for Ukraine. However, the complete retirement of all fourth-generation F-16 aircraft in the country is scheduled to occur around 2027.
Read more: The Start of Training for Ukrainian F-16 Pilots Has Been Postponed to September
