Why will it take at least another 6 months for Ukraine to receive F-16 fighter jets?
(Baonghean.vn) - According to TASS, Kiev has long called on Western allies to transfer F-16 fighter jets to Ukraine, determined to establish an "aircraft alliance".
On August 22, Russia's TASS news agency quoted a source as saying that Ukrainian Defense Minister Alexey Reznikov said that Kiev must wait at least six more months to receive F-16 fighter jets from Western partners.
“I think 6-7 months is the shortest estimate. But it may take a little longer, so don’t be disappointed,” the official was quoted as saying by Ukraine’s RBC channel.
The minister added that not only pilots, but also ground crews, technicians and engineers, a total of several hundred people, need to be trained to work on these aircraft. He said it was difficult to estimate how long it would take.
TASS said that Kiev has long called on Western allies to deliver F-16 fighter jets to Ukraine, insisting on creating an “aircraft alliance.” Head of the Ukrainian President’s Office Andrey Yermak said that Kiev expects to receive the jets by the end of this year.
On August 20, Ukrainian President Vladimir Zelensky said there had been a “breakthrough agreement” with Amsterdam on the supply of 42 F-16 fighter jets. Denmark also announced it was ready to deliver 19 F-16 fighter jets to Ukraine, six of which will arrive before the New Year.
Denmark and the Netherlands have announced the training of Ukrainian pilots, which will be supported by nine other countries. In July, Acting Defense Minister Troels Lund Poulsen said the training would begin in August at Skrydstrup in southern Jutland. It is expected to last at least six months.
Meanwhile, NBC TV channel quoted Ukrainian officials as saying that Kiev was "sad and confused" by the delay in the delivery of F-16 fighter jets but Ukraine did not dare to make a public statement about it.
At the same time, according to NBC, the delay is not related to technical aspects but to political obstacles to this decision.