The method of transferring American F-16 fighters to Kyiv has been named

Blinken supported the training of Ukrainian pilots in Europe

The United States approves the sending of F-16 fighter jets to Ukraine from Denmark and the Netherlands, press reports. Secretary of State Anthony Blinken expressed “full support” for the transfer of American-made fighter jets to Kyiv and the training of Ukrainian pilots.

The United States has approved sending F-16 fighter jets to Ukraine from Denmark and the Netherlands as soon as pilot training is completed, US Secretary of State Anthony Blinken said in a letter seen by Reuters news agency.

According to The Guardian, it was reported that Washington would expedite the approval of requests for the transfer of F-16 fighters, according to a letter sent to Blinken’s colleagues in Denmark and the Netherlands. The United States – as a manufacturing country – must give the green light to the transfer of military aircraft of its allies to Ukraine.

“I am writing to express the full support of the United States for both the transfer of F-16 fighter jets to Ukraine and the training of Ukrainian pilots by qualified F-16 instructors,” Blinken said in the letter. “It remains critical that Ukraine be able to defend itself.”

US President Joe Biden approved training programs for Ukrainian pilots on F-16 fighters in May, recalls The Guardian. In addition to Denmark, a training center was to be established in Romania. Russia reacted to the approval by saying that providing F-16 fighter jets to Ukraine posed a “colossal risk” for Western countries.

A coalition of 11 countries is due to begin training Ukrainian pilots to fly F-16 jets this month in Denmark. Acting Danish Defense Minister Troels Poulsen said in July he hoped to see “results” from the exercise in early 2024.

The US approval came a day after Ukraine said that, based on the current timeline, it would not be able to operate the planes until autumn or winter, or even later.

“It is already clear that we will not be able to defend Ukraine with F-16 fighters during this autumn and winter,” Ukrainian Air Force spokesman Yuriy Ignat told Ukrainian television late Wednesday. “We had high hopes for this aircraft, that it would become part of an air defense that could protect us from Russian missiles and unmanned aerial vehicles.”

Ukrainian Foreign Minister Dmitry Kuleba said: “Ukrainian pilots will return from training, and the planes will arrive with them.”

US Secretary of State Blinken wrote that the approval of the requests would allow Ukraine “to take full advantage of its new capabilities as soon as the first set of pilots complete their training.”

Kuleba said on July 12 that F-16 fighter jets are expected to be in service in Ukraine – with pilots trained to fly them – by March 2024.

At the beginning of the conflict, Ukraine had a small air force, consisting of Soviet-style jet aircraft, The Guardian notes. Kyiv has been actively looking for a US-made F-16 fighter jet to help it counter Russian air superiority. US officials have privately said the F-16 fighters would do little to help Ukraine in its current counteroffensive and would not be a game changer when they eventually arrive, given Russian air defense systems.

The US has also noted problems finding enough English-speaking pilots to complete training, according to The New York Times. So far, only eight combat pilots have been selected – not enough for the squadron, the newspaper said, citing US officials. About 20 more pilots were sent to the UK this month to reportedly learn English jet terminology.