Denmark expects to deliver the first F-16s to Ukraine next spring

Denmark expects to deliver the first F-16 fighter jets to Ukraine in March-April 2024, but there is still a lot of work ahead.

The Defense Minister Trols Lund Poulsen informed about this on the sidelines of the "Ramstein" summit.

"We expect that in March-April we will be able to transfer the first aid of combat aviation to Ukraine. But there is a lot of work to be done so that the Ukrainians will be able to handle the planes in the places where they are supposed to stand," he noted and added that the speed of transmission depends on the training of pilots and technical personnel.

The minister emphasized the importance of Ukraineʼs ability to maintain fighter jets and protect them from Russian attacks.

• Four countries agreed to transfer F-16 fighters to Ukraine — Denmark (19 aircraft), the Netherlands (42 machines, some of which are training), Norway (the number has not been announced) and Belgium (the transfer of several units has been announced). Ukrainian pilots and technical personnel are already undergoing training in Denmark, Britain and soon in the USA. France, Belgium, Romania, where a training center is being built, and Canada also agreed to join the training program.
• It is expected that experienced Ukrainian pilots will be able to complete training on the F-16 in three months. In September of this year, The Wall Street Journal wrote that Ukrainian pilots could start using the F-16 in combat as early as February 2024, that is, this winter — provided there are no delays in deliveries.