Dutch F-16s to arrive in Ukraine in summer

The first Dutch F-16 fighter jets will be delivered to the Ukrainian Air Force this summer.

Dutch Defense Minister Kajsa Ollongren stated this in an interview with European Pravda.

She noted that the delivery of these fighter jets will be organized in the summer.

It was previously reported that the Netherlands planned to start transferring F-16 fighter jets to Ukraine this fall, following Denmark. However, all processes have been accelerated.

“There will be more and more planes, and this will strengthen your Air Force… I can’t give you a date, so I say this summer. We are currently following this plan. At the same time, you will first receive aircraft from Denmark. We will come after Denmark, but this is a joint plan,” Kajsa Ollongren shared.

Speaking of Ukraine’s infrastructure’s readiness to receive aircraft, the Minister noted that “we are also moving according to plan.”

“Ukraine is on the right track, and this is very important because, as you said, it’s not just pilots that are needed. It is also about technical staff, planes, and the equipment they need, as well as the infrastructure in your country,” the Minister said.

She suggested that the F-16s alone will not change the course of the war, but they will “make your air force and your air defense much stronger.”

“These fighter jets will be delivered gradually. Combat use will show their effectiveness. It will significantly strengthen the Air Force, and at some point, it may lead to your air superiority,” Kajsa Ollongren said.

As previously reported, the Dutch government will also purchase aviation weapons for F-16 fighter jets, which will soon be transferred to Ukraine. The Netherlands will allocate more than €150 million for the purchase of air-to-ground weapons for F-16 fighter jets.

The types of aviation weapons are not mentioned, but they are most likely guided bombs, particularly those with JDAM kits.

The purchase of AGM-88 HARM anti-radiation missiles or air-to-air missiles is also not excluded.