Ukraine has shown off American F-16 fighter jets as part of its Air Force for the first time. Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky took part in the ceremony to introduce the new aircraft into the army. Western media previously reported on the start of deliveries, but Kyiv has not confirmed this.
The arriving fighters were shown off during celebrations for the Ukrainian Air Force Day on August 4, transmits correspondent of the Ukrainian Service of Radio Liberty. Zelensky called the appearance of Western aircraft in service a new stage in the development of national combat aviation.
Since the beginning of the full-scale invasion of Ukraine, Kyiv has been receiving Soviet MiG-29 fighters and Su-25 attack aircraft from Western countries, but the authorities initially asked for Western-style aircraft. In 2023, several countries, with the consent of the United States, decided to transfer such aircraft to Kyiv.
Kyiv has now been promised 79 American fighters. According to various sources, Ukraine has already received 6 or 10 of them. Western countries have trained Ukrainian pilots and technicians, the US plans to supply such fighters with modern missiles, bombs and other types of weapons.
In photographs of Ukrainian F-16s distributed by the country’s authorities, the aircraft are armed with short-range AIM-9 Sidewinder air-to-air missiles, medium-range AIM-120 AMRAAM missiles, and are equipped with external fuel tanks.
This could potentially allow them to intercept Russian bombers and cruise missiles. The planes have reportedly already taken part in combat sorties, something Zelensky confirmed on Sunday.
