Danish F-16s to Arrive in Ukraine This Summer, Pilots and Ground Crews Undergoing Training

Danish F-16 fighter jets will arrive in Ukraine this summer, and pilots and ground crews are currently undergoing training for their use.

This was stated by Danish Ambassador to Ukraine Ole Egberg Mikkelsen in an interview with RBK-Ukraine, published on Tuesday, April 30.

He recalled that Danish Prime Minister Mette Frederiksen, during her visit to Lviv in late February, had already provided an indication of the timeframe for the delivery of fighters to Ukraine. “She said that the planes would arrive this summer. She did not specify which month. I can only refer to what she said,” the ambassador noted.

According to Mikkelsen, this is a complex issue, as it concerns not only the aircraft themselves, but also the entire support system, maintenance, and ground crews responsible for the serviceability of the fighters.

“I am optimistic, I am confident that they will arrive soon and, hopefully, will be ready for operation soon,” the ambassador added.

In total, Denmark, the Netherlands, Norway, and Belgium have pledged to send around 45 fighters to Ukraine. On April 26, US Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin assured that the first F-16 fighter jets would be in Ukraine this year, along with pilots and support personnel.

In mid-March, The New York Times reported that by mid-summer, 12 Ukrainian pilots would be ready to fly combat missions on F-16 fighters after 10 months of training in Denmark, the UK, and the US. At the same time, by the time they return to the front lines, Ukraine is expected to receive only six such aircraft out of approximately 45 promised by European allies.