Good news for Ukraine as the Netherlands has received the required permits for it to deliver F-16s to aid Ukraine. The Dutch government will soon supply 24 of these combat jets to embattled Ukraine. The Dutch government is mum on when these weapons will be delivered, how many will be delivered in the first batch and exactly on which date will these birds of prey reach Ukraine due to security reasons as per the Dutch Defence Minister Kajsa Ollongren.
The Netherlands has been one of the driving forces behind an international coalition to supply Ukraine with F-16s to strengthen its air defences against Russia. The Dutch government earlier supplied F-16s to a training facility in Romania, where Ukrainian pilots and ground staff are being taught to fly and maintain the planes in battle. In April, Ollongren said she expected promised deliveries by Denmark, the Netherlands and the United States to start within months.
The U.S. Congress passed USD 60 billion supplemental funding for Ukraine earlier this year. Ukraine is in urgent need as its ammunition reserves, especially those of artillery and air-defence, have been dwindling. Ukraine would receive ammunition for Patriot air defence system, National Advanced Surface-to-Air Missile Systems (NASAMS), Stinger anti-aircraft missiles from the United States. he U.S. will reprioritize planned deliveries of foreign military sales of Patriot and other missiles to go to Ukraine, which is in “desperate need” of more air defense capabilities amid its ongoing war with Russia. The Ukrainian forces will also get Additional High Mobility Artillery Rocket Systems(HIMARS) and ammunition, 155mm and 105mm artillery ammunition, Tube-Launched, Optically-Tracked, Wire-Guided (TOW) and Javelin ATGMs besides AT-4 anti-armour rockets.
As part of the package the Ukrainian forces will receive additional Bradley Infantry Fighting Vehicles, M113 Armoured Personnel Carriers, Mine Resistant Ambush Protected (MRAP) vehicles, trailers to transport heavy equipment and coastal and riverine patrol boats.
(With inputs from Reuters)
