Ukraine to seek secure parking for F-16s abroad
Al Jazeera
Kyiv expects first donated fighter jets will arrive later this year, but plans to keep some outside the country.
Anticipating deliveries of US-made F16s from European allies, Ukraine has plans to store some of the fighter jets at bases abroad due to security concerns.
A senior Ukrainian air force commander said in comments published late on Sunday that some of the F-16s set to be delivered by European allies for the war with Russia will be held at foreign bases while military personnel train to use them.
“There is a number that will go to Ukraine. There are a certain number of aircraft that will be stored at secure airbases, outside of Ukraine, so that they are not targeted here,” said Serhii Holubtsov, head of aviation at the air force command of the armed forces of Ukraine, in an interview with the US government-funded Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty published on Sunday.
Belgium, Denmark, the Netherlands and Norway have committed to providing Ukraine with more than 60 multipurpose fighter aircraft, but it could take several years before all are delivered.
The first of the aircraft are expected to be delivered later this year, and Ukrainian pilots are currently undergoing training by Western allies to fly the warplanes.
