US approves $266M F-16 maintenance equipment sale to Ukraine
Ukrainian military member stands next to the first General Dynamics F-16 Fighting Falcon received by Ukraine, on the Day of Ukrainian Air Force on August 4, 2024 in Unspecified, Ukraine. (AFP Photo)
The U.S. State Department has approved the sale of maintenance equipment for F-16 fighter jets to Ukraine, worth an estimated $266.4 million, according to the U.S. Department of Defense Security Cooperation Agency.
What’s included
Ukraine has requested the following equipment and services:
- Joint Mission Planning System (JMPS)
- AN/PYQ-10 Simple Key Loaders (SKL)
- Spare parts, maintenance support, and software
- Personnel training
- US government and contractor engineering, technical, and logistical support
The primary contractors include Sabena (Belgium), Lockheed Martin (TX) and Pratt and Whitney (CT).
Purpose of sale
The equipment will strengthen Ukraine’s air defense and enhance its ability to counter both current and future threats.
F-16s for Ukraine
In 2023, Ukraine, with Western support, launched the “aviation coalition” to boost its Air Force. The first batch of F-16s arrived from Denmark and the Netherlands in August and successfully intercepted Russian missile attacks.
A second batch from Denmark recently arrived, and by 2025, Ukraine expects to form a squadron of 8 to 30 F-16s.
Ukrainian pilots are currently training in Arizona and are expected to return by early 2025.
