F-16 jets for Ukraine: Why dis na game changer
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Ukraine don dey ask dia foreign partners for fighter jets since di early days of di Russian invasion. Di final approval from US for Denmark and di Netherlands to hand over some of dia F-16s dey likely to bring crucial change in di way dem dey fight di war.
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky trip to di two European kontris last week see dem agree say Ukraine go receive, a total of 61 jets -- 42 from di Netherlands and 19 from Denmark, im tok.
Zelensky describe am as a "powerful and fruitful day", di Ukrainian president tank both kontris, as well as di US for dia continuous support to Ukraine.
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Just like wit di Leopard tanks before, and wit Patriot air defence systems before that, di handover of US-made F-16 jets na result of long negotiations.
Russia reaction
Western powers, especially di United States, bin dey reluctant to approve dis handover, dem dey fear say e fit lead to a more direct confrontation wit Russia.
Earlier, Russian Deputy Foreign Minister Alexander Grushko warn say Western kontris go face "colossal risks" if dem supply Ukraine wit di jets.
Russia ambassador to Denmark, Vladimir Barbin, echo di sentiment on Monday, im tell Danish news agency "di fact say Denmark don decide to donate 19 F-16 aircraft to Ukraine lead to di escalation of di conflict".
F-16s delivery timetable
Ukraine and dia supporters abroad don dey campaign for handover of dis jets for months, dem argue say di air superiority over Russia na di only way to speed up di push to retake Ukrainian territory.
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Ukraine Air Force tok-tok pesin Yuri Ihnat in May tok say: "Wen we get F-16s, we go win dis war." Many in di West echo di same tin, military experts point out say fighting a war without significant air support mean greater personnel losses wey dem fit avoid.
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Danish Prime Minister Mette Frederiksen share her motivation and plans for di handover: "Di aim of dis delivery na to protect Ukraine. We plan to provide di jets closer to di new year, about six of dem, then eight in di next year and then another five."
While a boost for morale, di delivery of di aircraft go take few months, meaning say Ukraine no go start to use dem for some time.
Di plan to send di final portion of di Danish planes for 2025 suggest long-term, strategic intentions on di part of Ukraine European partners.
Such a commitment dey crucial based onhow impossible e be to predict di result of di next US presidential election.
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Which kind plane be di F-16?
Di F-16 dey widely considered to be one of di most reliable fighter jets for di world.
Described as multi-role, dem fit arm am wit missiles wey dey follow target and bombs, and e dey able to fly at 1,500mph (2,400km/h), according to di US Air Force.
Di F-16 wey dey target capabilities go allow Ukraine to attack Russian forces during all weather conditions and at night wit greater accuracy.
Ukraine dey believed to get dozens of combat aircraft - mostly MiGs - all going way back to di Soviet era.
Russia, on di other hand, dey use more modern planes wey fit fly at higher altitudes and detect other planes from far away.
"A Russian jet fit see two to three times further wit dia radar than our fighter," Yurii Inhat, a spokesman for Ukraine Air Force Command tell di Wall Street Journal. "Our fighter dey simply blind, e no fit see."
Kyiv need modern war planes to help protect dia skies from regular, deadly Russian missile and drone attacks, and to support dia counter-offensive for southern and eastern Ukraine which so far don produce limited results.
According to Lockheed Martin, di American military manufacturer wey dey make di planes, currently about 3,000 F-16s dey in use across 25 kontris.
Why e need Washington approval?
Di export and further movement of F-16 jets need di approval by di US authorities since na dia dem dey make dem.
Also political component dey inside since di United States na di most powerful Nato member. Such significant policy change towards Ukraine no go happun without dia approval.
Di US Secretary of State, Antony Blinken, sent letters to e Danish and Dutch counterparts to support di handover. "E remain critical say Ukraine dey able to defend diasef against ongoing Russian aggression and violation of dia sovereignty," im write.
More importantly for Ukraine, dis approval potentially open a way for other, non-US produced, fighter jets to dey donated to Kyiv too.
Before sealing di F-16s deal wit Denmark and di Netherlands, Volodymyr Zelensky visit Sweden wia e announce say training for Ukrainian pilots on Swedish Jas 39 Gripen jets don begin, dis hint say more jets fit dey in di pipeline.
Training first
Training to fly, operate and maintain di F-16 jets go dey crucial. One extensive training programme, wey coalition of Western kontris organise for a select group of Ukrainian military pilots, don begin for Denmark.
Di acting Danish Defence Minister Troels Poulsen dey hopeful say dem go see di results of dis training for early 2024.
Dem also need train support staff, while wider maintenance systems for di jets need to be designed and put in place.
