US allow export of European F-16 fighter jets to Ukraine.

According to information published by CNN on May 19, 2023, the US has recently affirmed its willingness to permit the export of European F-16 fighter jets to Ukraine.

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Royal Netherlands Air Force's F-16 fighter jet.  (Picture source: Dutch MoD)

During the Russian invasion in February 2022, the Ukrainian Air Force responded to the advancing Russian Aerospace Forces, but the exact number of disabled or destroyed aircraft remains unclear.

The Russian Defense Ministry claimed significant damage to Ukrainian air defenses, while the Ukrainian Defense Ministry did not provide official figures.

President Volodymyr Zelenskyy has asked the United States for F-16s. The latter have so far refused, but they allow their European allies to give them to him.

About the F-16

The F-16, a single-seat fighter jet, possesses a length of 49 ft 5 in, a wingspan of 32 ft 8 in, and a height of 16 ft. It has a maximum takeoff weight of 42,300 lb and is powered by a General Electric F110-GE-129 or Pratt & Whitney F100-PW-229 engine, providing exceptional thrust.

With a top speed of Mach 2.05, the F-16 can reach 1,176 knots at 40,000 feet. It has a combat range of 295 nautical miles and a service ceiling of 58,000 ft. The aircraft is armed with a 20 mm M61A1 Vulcan cannon and can carry a variety of missiles, bombs, and rockets on its hardpoints.

Equipped with advanced avionics such as the AN/APG-68 radar, AN/ALR-56M radar warning receiver, and AN/ALQ-213 electronic warfare suite, the F-16 excels in combat situations. It also features a range of additional systems including targeting pods, ECM pods, and EO/IR sensor pods.

Multiple European countries, including Belgium, Denmark, Greece, the Netherlands, Poland, Portugal, and Romania, possess the highly capable F-16 fighter jet.