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Media: Denmark to delay F-16 aircraft delivery to Ukraine

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Media: Denmark to delay F-16 aircraft delivery to Ukraine
A Norwegian F-16 jet lands in Denmark as part of a training program for Ukrainian pilots on Jan. 5, 2024. (Norwegian Air Force/X)

The Danish Defense Ministry will delay the donation of six F-16 fighter jets to Ukraine by six months, Bloomberg reported on Jan. 6.

In mid-August, Denmark pledged to provide Ukraine with 19 F-16s, with the first batch of six aircraft to be delivered by the end of 2023 and the rest by 2025 as part of the effort by allies to arm Ukraine to repel Russian air superiority.

Nonetheless, Denmark will deliver the first six fighter jets sometime during the second quarter, the Danish ministry said, according to the Danish newspaper Berlingske.

Denmark is also one of the countries, along with Romania, France, the U.K., and the U.S., that provides training for Ukrainian pilots. The newspaper reported that there are currently six Ukrainian pilots training on F-16 fighter jets in Denmark.

The Danish Defense Ministry said the delivery schedule hinged on a number of conditions being met, including the successful training of Ukrainian pilots, as well as the availability of logistics and infrastructure to service the aircraft in Ukraine, according to Berlingske.

Meanwhile, Ukrainian pilots currently undergoing F-16 fighter jet training in the United States are expected to complete their training later in 2024, a U.S. Defense Department spokesperson said on Jan. 4.

Denmark is replacing its fleet of F-16s with new F-35 Joint Striker Fighters but is also facing delays in receiving those on schedule from producer Lockheed Martin Corp.

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Alexander Khrebet

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Alexander Khrebet is a reporter with the Kyiv Independent. He covers Ukraine’s foreign policy, alleged abuse of power in the country’s military leadership, and reports on the Russian-occupied territories. Alexander is the European Press Prize 2023 winner, the #AllForJan Award 2023 winner and Ukraine's 2022 National Investigative Journalism Award finalist. His was published in the Washington Times and Atlantic Council.

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