UK prepares another group of future Ukrainian F-16 pilots, bringing total number of trainees to 200
"The next step is advanced fast jet training and conversion to F-16 with partner nations," the statement read.
F-16
Is NATO ready for war with Russia?
The launch of Russia's full-scale invasion of Ukraine in February 2022 confronted the North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO) with a new geopolitical reality. Described as "braindead" by French President Emmanuel Macron only a few years prior, the alliance woke up to a threat previously thought consigned to the past: a
US revising F-16 training to focus on younger pilots, WSJ reports
The shift could extend the training program by months, delaying the Ukrainian squadron's battlefield readiness even further.
Dutch Defense Minister Brekelmans on F-16s, Victory Plan, Ukraine’s NATO bid
Sitting at Kyiv's main train station moments before wrapping up his trip to Ukraine, Dutch Defense Minister Ruben Brekelmans had a lot to discuss. Brekelmans has just announced that the first batch of Dutch F-16s are flying Ukrainian skies, defending the country from Russian air strikes. He also announced that
Denmark to invest nearly $630 million into Ukraine's defense production
Denmark will invest 4.2 billion Danish kroner ($628 million) into Ukraine's arms production, according to Defense Minister Troels Lund Poulsen. Poulsen signed the following agreements with his Ukrainian counterpart Rustem Umerov and Strategic Industries Minister Herman Smetanin in Kyiv. The Danish defense minister's trip to Kyiv took place as
Ukraine war latest: Ukraine awaits Mirage 2000 jets, in talks about Gripen, Eurofighter Typhoon
Key developments on Sept. 21-22: * Ukraine awaits Mirage 2000 jets, in talks about Gripen, Eurofighter Typhoon, defense minister says * Ukraine confirms overnight strikes on Russian arms depots * Iran provided no launchers with missile deliveries to Russia, Reuters reports * Russia preparing strikes against Ukrainian nuclear facilities ahead of winter, foreign minister
Ukraine awaits Mirage 2000 jets, in talks about Gripen, Eurofighter Typhoon
Defense Minister Rustem Umerov said Ukraine has an agreement to receive Dassault Mirage 2000 jets. According to the minister, Ukraine is in talks to acquire Swedish-made Saab JAS 39 Gripen and the Eurofighter Typhoon fighters.
US may send Ukraine medium-range missiles for F-16s, Politico reports
A medium-range glide bomb known as the Joint Standoff Weapon (JSOW) might be included in the new military aid package, U.S. officials told Politico. The missile can cover a distance of over 70 miles.
Ukraine war latest: Putin to increase Russian military personnel and staff by 180,000
* Putin signs decree increasing number of military personnel, staff to 2.38 million * Ukraine's Victory Plan 90% complete, Zelensky says * Zelensky signs law establishing Ukraine's Unmanned Systems Forces * Ukraine to receive another batch of Danish F-16s this year, minister says * Latvia to supply Ukraine with British-made CVR(T) armored vehicles
Ukraine to receive another batch of Danish F-16s this year, minister says
The Danish government promised to transfer another batch of F-16 fighter jets to Ukraine by the end of this year, the DR broadcaster reported on Sept. 15, citing Danish Defense Minister Troels Lund Poulsen.
Ukrainian pilots arrive in Romania for F-16 training
Ukrainian pilots arrived in Romania to start training on Dutch aircraft at the Borcea air base "a few days ago," Digi24 news outlet reported on Sept. 12. They are now reportedly learning details about the F-16s on the ground.
Sweden takes step toward supplying Ukraine with Gripen fighter jets
Weeks after Ukraine received its first batch of U.S.-made F-16 fighter jets from European allies and more than a year after President Volodymyr Zelensky announced the start of test trials on Sweden’s prestigious Gripen multipurpose variants, Stockholm signaled that their possible transfer to Ukraine remains on the
Howitzers, missiles, armor — what Ukraine was promised in Ramstein
As the allies gathered at the Ramstein Air Base for the 24th meeting of the Ukraine Defense Contact Group (UDCG), President Volodymyr Zelensky arrived in person to lobby for faster deliveries of air defenses and long-range weapons. Despite new aid pledges, the result has been rather lackluster. Kyiv has been
After F-16 crash, West debates rushed training for Ukrainian pilots, WSJ reports
The training of Ukrainian pilots on F-16s has been happening at an accelerated pace. Ukraine's pilot training program is ongoing, but "the crash shows what happens when you try to rush things," an unnamed senior defense official told the WSJ.
US General Breedlove on balancing air superiority and drone warfare
Retired U.S. General Philip M. Breedlove discusses how the delayed introduction of F-16s has limited their immediate effectiveness in Ukraine and what lessons on balancing air superiority and drone warfare NATO should learn from Ukraine war.
Ukraine launched Kursk incursion without West's guidance, and ‘look how well it worked,’ says ex-NATO commander in Europe
Editor’s Note: This interview has been edited for clarity. Even as Ukraine's daring incursion into Russian territory brought the full-scale war back to the headlines around the world, Moscow's forces keep grinding on the eastern front, with dire implications for the entire Donbas region. Though Kyiv's operation achieved an
Ukraine war latest: Russia launches attack on Kharkiv, injuring at least 47 people
Key developments on Aug. 31 - Sep. 1: * Russia attacks Kharkiv, injuring at least 47, including medics, children * Russia claims 158 drones downed in mass attack targeting refinery, power plants in Moscow, other regions * F-16 fighter jet in Ukraine unlikely shot down by 'friendly fire,' NYT suggests * Ukraine presents
F-16 fighter jet in Ukraine unlikely shot down by 'friendly fire,' NYT suggests
"Friendly fire" from a Patriot missile battery is unlikely to have caused the downing of a U.S.-made F-16 fighter jet, the New York Times reported on Aug. 31, citing two undisclosed senior U.S. military officials.
Firing of Air Force Commander Oleshchuk not connected to deadly F-16 crash, Umerov says
"I would probably say this is a rotation," said Defense Minister Rustem Umerov. "This is two separate issues…at this stage, I would not connect them."
White House rejects plan to send F-16 maintenance personnel to Ukraine, WSJ reports
Though the move has not been ruled out in the future, the Biden administration is hoping European countries will take partial or even full responsibility for maintaining Ukraine's recently-delivered F-16s.
Danish F-16s 'working in Ukraine,' PM Mette Frederiksen confirms
In response to a question from the Kyiv Independent, Frederiksen said she was "extremely proud" the aircraft were in use, adding she had wanted to send them "from the beginning of the war."
Ukraine's Air Force says US has joined investigation into deadly F-16 crash
Air Force Commander Mykola Oleshchuk said that Ukraine had "received a preliminary report" from the U.S., which he said "has already joined the investigation into the causes (of the crash)."
Ukraine war latest: Ukraine's F-16 fighter jet crashes, killing pilot
Key developments on Aug. 29: * F-16 fighter jet crashes in Ukraine, military confirms * Fighting near Pokrovsk 'exceptionally brutal,' Syrskyi says * Russian troops forced to retreat in Vovchansk after failed assault preparations, Ukraine says * 'Systems are there, what is lacking is final go' — Kuleba urges partners not to delay Patriot
BREAKING: F-16 fighter jet crashes in Ukraine, military confirms
One of the F-16 fighter jets recently delivered to Ukraine crashed while repelling a Russian mass attack, Ukraine's General Staff said on Aug. 29.
Ukraine's Air Force announces death of pilot after WSJ reports F-16 crash
Ukraine's Air Force announced on Aug. 29 that a pilot had been killed during Russia's mass attack on Aug. 26, shortly after the Wall Street Journal (WSJ) reported that one of the recently delivered F-16 jets had been destroyed in a crash on the same day.
Ukraine used F-16s to repel Russia's mass missile attack, Zelensky confirms
Ukraine's Air Force used F-16 jets as part of its defense against Russia's mass missile and drone attack on Aug. 26, President Volodymyr Zelensky confirmed during a press conference on Aug. 27.
How Ukraine's military has changed since it last paraded through the streets of Kyiv
On Aug. 24, 2021, Ukraine's military finest paraded through the streets of Kyiv in celebration of the 30th anniversary of the country's Independence Day. It would be the last time such an event was held, with Russia's full-scale invasion meaning everything on display would be put to the test, with
How drones are shaking up the air war in Ukraine
The Kyiv Independent’s Francis Farrell spoke with Justin Bronk, a senior research fellow for airpower and technology at RUSI, about the evolving dynamics of airspace in Russia's war against Ukraine.
Expert analyzes Ukraine's F-16s' capabilities
The Kyiv Independent's senior news editor Martin Fornusek spoke with defense and aviation expert Peter Layton about what we learned from this footage – how the F-16s are equipped and what could be the strategies and challenges of operating them.
Ukraine war latest: Moscow claims clashes with Ukrainian troops on Russian soil
Key developments on Aug. 6: * Moscow claims clashes with Ukrainian troops in Russia's Kursk region, Kyiv hasn't commented * Ukraine's missile program to get additional funding, Zelensky says * Russian missile attack on Kharkiv kills 1, injures 12, including infant * State Department: The arrival of F-16s has not changed US policy on
Ukraine gave a glimpse of its first F-16s – what can it tell us?
After more than a year of waiting, F-16s finally fly in the Ukrainian skies. President Volodymyr Zelensky unveiled two of the first U.S.-made fighter jets sporting blue-and-yellow roundels and a Ukrainian coat of arms in a ceremony on Aug. 4, confirming earlier media reports. While providing little details,
Arrival of F-16s has not changed US' policy on Ukrainian strikes inside Russia
The United States will decide on the use of American-made weapons provided to Ukraine, including F-16 fighters, for strikes in Russia depending on the situation on the battlefield and the needs of the Ukrainian Armed Forces, according to the State Department.
F-16s FOR UKRAINE
The General Dynamics F-16 Fighting Falcon is an American air superiority fighter that Kyiv has requested from its allies since the start of the full-scale invasion. Denmark and the Netherlands founded the "fighter jet coalition" for Ukraine on July 11, 2023 at the NATO summit in Vilnius, Lithuania with nine other countries: Belgium, Canada, Luxembourg, Norway, Poland, Portugal, Romania, Sweden, and the United Kingdom.
These countries pledged to help provide Kyiv with F-16s and train Ukrainian pilots and technical staff to operate the jets. Washington gave its approval in August 2023 to the Netherlands and Denmark to donate their F-16s to Ukraine after training was complete, and agreed to start training Ukrainian pilots in Arizona from October 2023.
Kyiv has been promised 79 F-16s from the Netherlands, Denmark, Norway, and Belgium, with the first 20 reportedly scheduled to arrive by the end of 2024. Belgium will supply Ukraine with 30 F-16 fighter jets by 2028.
Learn more about F-16s FOR UKRAINE
Three years of reporting, funded by our readers.
Millions read the Kyiv Independent, but only one in 10,000 readers makes a financial contribution. For our third birthday this November, we're looking for 1,000 new members to fund our mission and to help us prepare for what 2025 might bring. We’re relying on you.
Help us get 1,000 new members!
Most popular
Editors' Picks
Kremlin finds new enemies to target — Russians without kids
With Scholz's government in shambles, conservative rival touts more decisive Ukraine strategy
Ukraine reacts warily to Trump appointments as Russia’s war rages on
