Netherlands to Deploy 18 F-16 Fighter Jets to Romania for Ukrainian Pilot Training Before the New Year

According to a statement by the Dutch Armed Forces Commander, General Onno Eichelsheim, the remaining promised Dutch F-16 fighter jets, essential for training Ukrainian pilots, will be dispatched to Romania before the New Year. This announcement is reported by the Dutch portal NOS.

It is noted that the total number of aircraft will amount to 18 units, surpassing the previously stated range of 12 to 18 units by the Dutch Ministry of Defense. The ministry has now clarified these figures, indicating that they will provide the maximum number of aircraft. These fighter jets will remain the property of the Netherlands, whose arsenal includes 42 F-16 fighters.

"We currently believe they need 18 aircraft, and we plan to send exactly that number," emphasized Eichelsheim.

The coordination of European efforts to assist Ukraine with F-16s is being carried out by the Netherlands and Denmark. Earlier this week, The Gaze reported that the first five Dutch F-16s had already arrived at the European F-16 Training Center in Romania. There, they will be utilized for training Romanian and Ukrainian pilots and technical personnel, initially focusing on the qualification enhancement of instructors. Ukrainian pilots are expected to commence their training at the beginning of the upcoming year.

At the end of October, the U.S. announced the commencement of flight training for Ukrainian pilots on F-16 fighters. According to the U.S. Air Force statement, a "small number" of Ukrainian pilots began basic F-16 operational training at the 162nd Wing of the National Guard in Arizona.

The Pentagon emphasized that the duration of the training could extend to five months or more, depending on the pace of progress. Typically, F-16 pilot training involves significant theoretical sessions, simulator exercises, in addition to flight training. Foreign F-16 pilots also undergo English language training, which Ukrainian pilots began in September at the Lakefront Air Base in Texas.

Additionally, during the annual NATO Parliamentary Assembly session in Copenhagen in mid-September, Danish Prime Minister Mette Frederiksen announced her country's intention to expand the coalition of nations providing military support to Ukraine with Western F-16 fighter jets.