First 10 F-16s arrived in Ukraine on last day of July: The Economist

The publication notes that the first 10 F-16 fighters out of the 79 promised to Ukraine arrived on July 31.

"By the end of 2024, Ukraine should be flying 20 of the American-made fighter jets. The rest, promised by the so-called F-16 coalition led by Denmark and the Netherlands, will arrive in batches during 2025," the article states.

Former US European Command Chief Ben Hodges expressed disappointment at how long it has taken to deliver the aircraft to Ukraine. He suggested that one reason for the delay might be the lack of training slots for Ukrainian pilots — “policy decision by the administration.”

Another issue is language barriers. Although Ukrainian pilots are battle-hardened, F-16s are different and more complex compared to the Soviet-era MiG-29s and Su-27s they are used to.

A further factor causing delays is the establishment of infrastructure for maintaining the F-16s. It is noted that onboard engineers require similar training to that of the pilots. Some repair and maintenance work may also be carried out in neighboring NATO countries.

Former German Defense Ministry Chief of Staff Nico Lange points out that F-16s are a high-priority target for the Russians. Thus, they have been deployed with a high degree of secrecy, at dispersed bases with underground or fortified shelters. However, this dispersion complicates logistics, requiring more personnel and spare parts.

F-16s for Ukraine

In response to Ukraine's request, allies formed an aviation coalition through which the Ukrainian Armed Forces will receive American-made F-16 fighters. Ukraine is expected to receive at least 60 aircraft, but deliveries will occur gradually.

Last month, Bloomberg reported that Ukraine had received F-16s. According to The Times, the Netherlands delivered six aircraft to Ukraine. There were also reports online that F-16s were used for air defense.

For more details on the arrival and use of F-16s in Ukraine, see the RBC-Ukraine article.