Ukraine expects to receive 6 F-16 aircraft from its Western partners this summer and up to 20 aircraft in total by the end of the year.
This was reported by Bloomberg, citing its own sources.
According to people familiar with the matter, the process of sending military aircraft to Ukraine is currently complicated by issues of spare parts and the language barrier between Ukrainian pilots and their foreign instructors.
People involved in the issue are also concerned that Ukraine lacks runways and that those that do exist are vulnerable to Russian attacks.
According to one of the interlocutors, Ukraine will probably be able to deploy a squadron of F-16s, 15 to 24 aircraft. Another source said that Kyiv expects to receive six F-16s this summer and up to 20 by the end of the year.
The challenges to the F-16s have been so severe that they have raised doubts about the feasibility of sending the planes to Ukraine and whether it is a very expensive show of support for President Volodymyr Zelenskyy, the agency writes. A senior NATO official spoken to by the agency listed three main concerns for F-16 planners.
Author - Olena Madiak, 12/07/2024