US says F-16s to fly over Ukraine ‘this summer’

US-made F-16 fighter jets and additional air defence systems are on their way to Ukraine and are expected to be operational this summer, US Secretary of State Antony Blinken said on Wednesday (10 July), following NATO’s decision to boost the country’s air defence.

“The F-16 will be flying in the skies of Ukraine this summer,” Blinken said on Wednesday (10 July) before the NATO summit kicked off.

The American-made fighter jets “are on their way, the transfers happen as we speak,” he said.

The F-16s were requested by Ukraine last year, to improve the protection of its population and armed forces, and gain air superiority against the Russians.

Deliveries of the planes to war-torn Ukraine have been delayed due to the need for Ukrainian pilots to be trained on Western-made jets.

Their training started in the autumn, including English-language courses before the pilots were allowed to fly in the air.

Dutch defence minister Ruben Brekelmans – leading the coalition to supply F-16’s – said he could not give a clear timeline. “We are not only looking at F-16s but also the required ammunition,” he told the press including Euractiv on Wednesday (10 July).

“We shall not put any limitations on [the use of the jets and ammunition],” he added, as NATO members agreed that Ukraine can use Western-delivered defence equipment, to hit targets in Russian territory.

Commentating on the impact F-16 deliveries can have on the battlefield, a senior NATO official said, “If you can call on close support from overhead, that gives a significant impact and an ability to move a battlefront forward.”

However managing expectations they added, “This conflict is not likely to be over any time soon, it is something that’s going to take years of dedicated efforts to ensure that Russia does not prevail.”

Ahead of the summit, United States, Germany, and Romania pledged five additional air defence systems, including US-made Patriots. The Netherlands will donate Patriot parts, and Italy will send the Franco-Italian-made SAMP/T.

Ukrainian officials pressed their backers for air defence systems in recent months, saying  they identified 100 available Patriots.

“In the coming months, the United States and partners intend to provide Ukraine with dozens of tactical air defense systems, including NASAMS, HAWKs, IRIS T-SLM, IRIS T-SLS, and Gepard system,” the White House also announced on Tuesday (9 July).

Washington, they said, “will re-sequence planned deliveries of critical air defence interceptors in coordination with partners, so they are delivered to Ukraine, providing Ukraine with hundreds of additional air defence interceptors over the next year.”

Donating such systems comes at a high price for non-US NATO members, as delivery times are long. Romania, for instance, donated its only battery and asked the US to replace them rapidly, which they have not done so far.

On the same day, NATO announced that members will order 940 anti-aircraft surface-to-air Stinger missiles , for €700 million.

[Edited by Alexandra Brzozowski/Rajnish Singh]

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