The leaders of the US, the Netherlands, and Denmark released a joint statement Wednesday during the ongoing NATO summit in Washington, stating that the transfer of US-made F-16 fighter jets to Ukraine is underway.
“The Danish and Dutch governments are in the process of donating American-made F-16s to Ukraine, with the support of the United States,” the statement reads. “The transfer process for these F-16s is now underway, and Ukraine will be flying operational F-16s this summer.”
The three leaders said Belgium and Norway have also pledged to send jets. According to previous reports, the four European nations have pledged to provide Ukraine with about 60 F-16s, but the training process has been slow, and only a few pilots are expected to be ready this summer.
Ahead of the long-awaited F-16 transfer, Russia has stepped up attacks on Ukrainian airfields, destroying several Soviet-made aircraft. Ukrainian officials have said that to protect their F-16s, they might store some abroad, which could make the NATO bases housing them potential targets for the Russian military.
The F-16 transfer marks a significant escalation of NATO involvement in the proxy war since it will be the first time Ukraine receives Western-made fighter jets. Russia has made clear it views the move as a major provocation and has noted the F-16s are capable of carrying nuclear weapons.
On Tuesday, the first day of the NATO summit, the leaders of the US, the Netherlands, Germany, Romania, and Ukraine released a joint statement on a plan for the alliance to provide dozens of new air defenses.
“Today, we are announcing that, collectively, we are providing Ukraine with additional strategic air defense systems, including additional Patriot batteries donated by the United States, Germany, and Romania; Patriot components donated by the Netherlands and other partners to enable the operation of an additional Patriot battery; and an additional SAMP-T system donated by Italy,” the statement reads.
The leaders added that in the coming months, “The United States and partners intend to provide Ukraine with dozens of tactical air defense systems, including NASAMS, HAWKs, IRIS T-SLM, IRIS T-SLS, and Gepard systems.”
In a speech on Tuesday night, President Biden declared strong support for NATO and the continuation of the proxy war in Ukraine.
Another insane move. Russia has already warned that as F16s are potential nuclear threats as they can carry nukes – https://www.eurasiantimes.com/ukraines-nuclear-capable-fighter-jet-worries/amp/
Even if Russia doesn't hit European airbases, it's still a suicide mission to send F16s. Russia's Konteyner OTHR is the best in the world & can detect any plane within 3000kms.
Russian Su57s can fire long range hypersonic missiles out of range of any F16 or F16 missile. The F16 pilot literally won't know what hit him.
All the F16s will be tracked and wiped out as soon as they cross the Uke border.
Any that land will be wiped out.
How do you rectify your obvious contradiction? You say:
"Another insane move. Russia has already warned that as F16s are potential nuclear threats as they can carry nukes."
Then you say:
"Russia's Konteyner OTHR is the best in the world & can detect any plane within 3000kms."
And:
"Russian Su57s can fire long range hypersonic missiles out of range of any F16 or F16 missile. The F16 pilot literally won't know what hit him."
So, which is is? Are thy a serious threat or aren't they?
I'll give you some time to get a handle on your confusion.
The point is simple. Knowing that the Russians can destroy the F16s and that they also see the F16s as a threat, it is insane for NATO to deploy the F16s.
NATO is engaging in high risk provocation, with no discernible / rational objective.
See? Isn’t hard to understand.
Now, run along, child.
OK. Aliens take over the bodies of western leaders, after having decided that Earth needs some basic modifications, in particular much higher atmospheric concentrations of Cesium 137 and the like.
The rest, as we are apt to say, is history.
Im a firm believer, the aliens are waiting at the sidelines until we destroy each other so they can be the only most intelligent life on this planet.
Its a high betting sports game for the local quadrant.
There is almost no intelligent life on earth at the present time.
Americans smoke dope, drink, watch sports, and go to concerts mindlessly parroting whatever the mainstream media feeds them!
Going to war, without telling we are going to war.
It's working. Never thought we could be this stupid.
America hasn't been legally at war since the last time it was declared by Congress in ww2.
aboslute power corrupts absolutely…to any and everyone
US diplomacy = John Bolton +
Putin (2018): ‘Has your eagle picked all the olives and only has arrows left?’
"The leaders added that in the coming months, “The United States and partners intend to provide Ukraine with dozens of tactical air defense systems, including NASAMS, HAWKs, IRIS T-SLM, IRIS T-SLS, and Gepard systems."
So, exactly who is going to operate all these diverse systems? Or will the Ukrainian crews be provided with a simple checklist to run through each time they switch the things on? Will the US and partners be providing "civilian contractors" to operate and maintain the systems? I'm guessing this is the West's best opportunity to dump older hardware and feel good about it.
“I’m guessing this is the West’s best opportunity to dump older hardware and feel good about it.”
That’s presumably always been one of the goals.
Heads (manufacturing replacement consumables for existing systems), the MIC wins.
Tails (dumping old systems on Ukraine and getting Uncle Sugar to buy newer, more expensive systems and the consumables for those systems), the MIC wins.
Coin lands on its edge? Some of the new systems/consumables go to Ukraine and get “battle tested” to inspire more orders, the MIC wins.
Yes; old hardware that seems to be working quite well against the Soviet/Russian garbage.
They're calling them "FrankenSAMs" and they seem to be easy to teach to the Ukrainian operators.
I'm guessing it's the same for Russians teaching their conscripts to use ancient tanks, no?
https://www.forbes.com/sites/davidaxe/2024/07/10/sixty-year-old-t-62s-are-about-to-become-the-russian-armys-main-tanks/
Bainting the bear is fun! We poke the bear with our pointed sticks and laugh (and make lots of $$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$)
Easy targets for the Russians. I give them one week to take them out.
Well, if they're easy targets, the Russians shouldn't be worried at all.
The only way to be sure is to have the FSB eliminate any Ukrainian who is in training no matter where they are.
Stupid Americans, antagonizing Russia with the F-16 won’t give the Ukrainians any benefit but it will be good for target practice for the Russian.
You didn't read the article?
Just asking because:
Where the US support is primarily training of pilots and not forbit their NATO partners to deliver these planes – the initiative was started by Denmark and the Netherlands.
https://www.theguardian.com/world/2023/aug/20/netherlands-to-donate-up-to-42-f-16-fighter-jets-to-ukraine
https://www.reuters.com/world/europe/dutch-pm-says-talks-f-16s-ukraine-progressing-2023-05-04/
It seems that people here always want to blame the US as if there was no one else involved…
The aircrafts are made in the USA Right ..? And without the USA go ahead the European A kissers would not move one finger. Who are you kidding ..?
The point I made was that the Europeans initiated this and not the US thus you blame the US for what is an European initiative.
The US only antagonized the Russians by allowing the F16's to be donated. So the Europeans did move a finger even before the US got to approve of the transfer.
This is about who chose to start – you blame the US without even acknowledging that as several times before the Europeans moved first.
The UK was first on tanks and approval of long range weapons on Russian territory targets and Denmark and the Netherlands were the first on F16's.