Denmark and Netherlands to steer F-16 coaching for Ukrainians

Denmark and the Netherlands will lead the event of coaching for Ukrainians on F-16s within the coming weeks, in keeping with Protection Secretary Lloyd Austin.

Austin made the announcement in regards to the coaching at a information convention after a Ukraine Protection Contact Group digital assembly Thursday. The group, composed of practically 50 international locations, included a session on planning coaching for Ukrainians on fourth-generation plane, just like the F-16s, for the long run. 

Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Workers Gen. Mark Milley, who was with Austin, stated it might take “a substantial size of time” to construct up a Ukrainian air drive to the scope and scale essential to match Russia’s 1000’s of fourth- and fifth-generation plane. 

Austin stated international locations like Norway, Belgium, Portugal, and Poland have already provided to contribute to the coaching, however he didn’t say who would provide the superior fighter jets. 

The fighter jets wouldn’t have to return from the U.S., however any nation that wishes to switch its inventory of American-made F-16s to Ukraine would want permission from the U.S. authorities. 

Officers in Ukraine have been asking for F-16s for the reason that conflict started, however as has been the case with different requests, U.S. officers stated no earlier than they finally arrived at sure. Milley stated the U.S. made the cost-effective selection in committing different tools like ground-based air-defense methods earlier than F-16s. 

He stated the price of simply 10 F-16s mixed with the fee to maintain them is about $2 billion. 

“When you have been to try this – simply F-16s – you would not have tanks, you would not have Bradleys, you would not have anti-armor weapons, you would not have the rest. You’d spend all of your cash on simply that,” Milley stated. “It is a cost-risk-benefit evaluation that leads you to those separate, incremental type of packages that go ahead.”

To assist with the fee, Austin stated international locations plan to ascertain a fund so international locations that can’t present F-16s or chip in for upkeep and sustainment coaching can nonetheless contribute to the hassle.