US consents F-16 backing bundle for Ukraine
(MENAFN) The United States has approved a $310.5 million deal to support Ukrainian-operated F-16 fighter jets, which were supplied by European NATO allies. This move follows an agreement between the US and Ukraine, in which Ukraine grants the US access to its natural resources in exchange for continued military aid.
The F-16 fighter jets, approved for delivery by former President Joe Biden in August 2023, arrived in Ukraine a year later. While Ukrainian officials celebrated the delivery, Western media cautioned that the F-16s would not drastically change the course of the ongoing conflict. In March 2024, the Ukrainian Air Force acknowledged that the F-16s were outmatched by newer Russian jets.
The Pentagon’s Defense Security Cooperation Agency (DSCA) announced the approval of a foreign military sale package on Friday, which includes training, spare parts, aircraft modifications, logistics assistance, and software support for the F-16s. The DSCA stated that the deal supports US foreign policy by enhancing the security of a partner country, contributing to political stability in Europe.
While over 80 F-16 jets are expected to be delivered to Ukraine, the majority are coming from Belgium and the Netherlands. The US has not committed to providing F-16s directly. Moscow recently confirmed the downing of one F-16, with Ukraine reporting the death of its pilot during a combat mission. Another F-16 was reportedly lost in 2024 during a Russian air strike.
This new US support package comes after the Pentagon’s decision to send non-operational F-16s to Ukraine for spare parts. It also follows the signing of a US-Ukraine resource deal, which allows Washington to recoup future military costs through proceeds from Ukrainian mineral resources.
Moscow has condemned the shipment of Western weapons to Ukraine, warning that such supplies will only prolong the conflict without changing the outcome. Russian President Vladimir Putin has stated that Ukrainian-operated F-16s will meet the same fate as other Western-supplied weapons.
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