The Netherlands to consider the transfer of F-16 fighter jets to Ukraine

The Dutch Cabinet will consider the possibility of supplying Ukraine with F-16 fighter jets if they are requested by the Kyiv government.

NL Times reported.

During a parliamentary debate on Thursday, January 19, Dutch Foreign Minister Wopke Hoekstra said that the country’s government would consider such a request “openly”.

Hoekstra stressed that there was “no taboo” regarding the delivery of conventional equipment.

Also, member of the Dutch House of Representatives Sjoerd Sjoerdsma appealed to the Cabinet of Ministers with a request to supply the Armed Forces of Ukraine with F-16 fighters.

The publication added that among politicians, many fear that Russia would launch another major offensive in the coming months.

It is known that about 60 F-16AM/BM fighter jets are currently in service with the Netherlands.

F-16

F-16 Fighting Falcon is an American fourth generation multirole light fighter aircraft from Lockheed Martin. Given its versatility and relatively low cost, F-16 is considered the most massive fourth-generation fighter in the world.

F-16A and F-16B are the first production variants of the fighter in single- and double-seats versions. These variants include the Block 1, 5, 10, 15 and 20 versions. The Block 15 became the first F-16s major change with an increase in horizontal stabilizers.

This is the largest of all variants of the F-16, a total of 475 aircraft of this model were manufactured.

Many F-16A/B fighter jets were upgraded to the Mid-Life Upgrade (MLU) Block 20 standard. They have become functionally equivalent to mid-product C/D models.

F-16AM/BM Block 25 has received improved avionics and radar, adding to the ability to work in any weather conditions out of sight line. Aircraft were able to operate with AIM-7 and AIM-120 air-to-air missiles.