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By Jonathan Beale, defence correspondent, and James Gregory
BBC News
The US says it will allow its Western allies to supply Ukraine with advanced fighter jets, including American-made F-16s, in a major boost for Kyiv.
National Security Adviser Jake Sullivan said President Joe Biden "informed his G7 counterparts" of the decision at the bloc's summit in Japan on Friday.
US troops will also train Kyiv's pilots to use the jets, Mr Sullivan said.
Ukraine has long sought advanced jets and President Volodymyr Zelensky hailed the move as a "historic decision".
The US legally has to approve the re-export of equipment purchased by allies and the move will clear the way for other nations to send their existing stocks of F-16s to Ukraine.
"Over the past few months, we and our allies and partners have really focussed on providing Ukraine with the systems weapon and training it needs to conduct offensive operations this spring and summer," Mr Sullivan told reporters in Hiroshima. "We have delivered what we promised."
"Now we have turned to discussions about improving the Ukrainian air force as part of our long-term commitment to Ukraine's self-defence. As the training unfolds in the coming months, we will work with our allies to determine when planes will be delivered, who will be delivering them, and how many."
Ukraine has repeatedly lobbied its Western allies to provide jets to help in its fight against Russia. Ahead of Saturday's official announcement, President Zelensky said the jets would "greatly enhance our army in the sky", adding that he looked forward to "discussing the practical implementation" of the plan at the G7 summit in Hiroshima, where he will arrive on Sunday.
The US had been sceptical about providing Ukraine with modern fighter jets - at least in the near term. Its focus has instead been on providing military support on land.
Senior US military officials who have spoken to the BBC in the past have questioned whether Western-supplied fighter jets will dramatically alter the conflict, with Russia's large air force still struggling to gain air superiority and the high density of air defence systems on the ground.
And in February, President Biden told reporters that he was "ruling out for now" sending advanced fighters to Ukraine.
But Mr Sullivan told reporters that US had provided weapons to Kyiv as they were needed on the battlefield, and the decision to start supplying advanced fighters to Ukraine indicated the conflict had entered a new phase.
"Now we have delivered everything we said we were going to deliver, so we put the Ukrainians in a position to make progress on the battlefield through the counteroffensive. We've reached a moment where it is time to look down the road, and say what is Ukraine going to need as part of a future force to defend against Russian aggression," he said.
While the change in US policy is significant, training pilots to fly F-16 jets will take time. Ukraine does have more trained fighter pilots than aircraft at present. But even training experienced fighter pilots on a new plane could take up to four months.
And then nations will need to agree to supply the jets. The F-16 is widely used by a number of European and Middle East nations as well as the US, which still manufactures the aircraft. Who is willing to supply the jets is the next key question.
The UK, Netherlands, Belgium and Denmark also welcomed the US move.
UK Prime Minister Rishi Sunak tweeted: "The UK will work together with the USA and the Netherlands, Belgium and Denmark to get Ukraine the combat air capability it needs."
The UK does not have any F-16s in its air force itself.
Denmark has announced it too will now be able to support the training of pilots, but did not confirm whether it would send any jets to Ukraine. Denmark's air force has 40 F-16s, around 30 of which are operational.
Earlier this week, Mr Sunak and Dutch Prime Minister Mark Rutte said they would build an "international coalition" to provide fighter jet support for Ukraine.
Mr Sunak said the UK would set up a flight school to train Ukrainian pilots. French leader Emmanuel Macron said his country was willing to do the same but would not provide jets.
Some of the opposition to sending the jets has centred around maintenance issues, with former Nato official Dr Jamie Shea saying they require extensive maintenance after almost every fight.
Some Nato member countries have also expressed their worries that handing jets to Ukraine would be viewed as escalating the war, risking a direct confrontation with Russia.
At the start of Russia's full-scale invasion, Ukraine was believed to have around 120 combat capable aircraft - mainly consisting of aging Soviet-era MiG-29s and Su-27s.
But officials say they need up to 200 jets to match Moscow's air-power - which is thought to be five or six times greater than Kyiv's.
Mr Zelensky has primarily been asking its allies for F-16s. First built in the 1970s, the jet can travel at twice the speed of sound and can engage targets in the air or on the ground.
While now eclipsed by the more modern F-35, it remains widely in use. Experts say modern fighters like the F-16 would help Ukraine strike behind Russian lines.
Earlier this year some Eastern European countries sent Soviet-era Mig fighter jets to Ukraine.
www.bbc.com
Dan Sabbagh and Julian Borger
Fri 19 May 2023 17.50 BST
The US has told its allies it will back a joint international effort to train Ukrainian pilots to fly F-16 and other modern fighter jets, marking a significant boost to western support for Kyiv as it prepares a major counteroffensive.
Joe Biden has already informed fellow leaders attending a G7 summit in Japan of his decision, a senior administration official said, adding that the plan would include training “on fourth-generation fighter aircraft, including F-16s, to further strengthen and improve the capabilities of the Ukrainian air force”.
The fourth generation category includes Britain’s Eurofighter Typhoon and France’s Mirage 2000.
“As the training takes place over the coming months, our coalition of countries participating in this effort will decide when to actually provide jets, how many we will provide, and who will provide them,” the senior official said. “This training will take place outside Ukraine at sites in Europe and will require months to complete. We hope we can begin this training in the coming weeks.”
The decision represents a dramatic shift in stance by Washington, which had previously presented the supply of F16s to Ukraine as unfeasible.
The Ukrainian president, Volodymyr Zelenskiy, tweeted: “I welcome the historic decision of the United States and @POTUS to support an international fighter jet coalition. This will greatly enhance our army in the sky. I count on discussing the practical implementation of this decision at the #G7 summit in Hiroshima.”
The speed of the U-turn took some allies by surprise.
There had been reports that the US would give a green light for other states to make preparations to supply western fighter jets, but even close allies did not expect Biden to support direct US involvement in a training programme.
“Things are moving really fast in Japan. Faster even than we had dared hoped,” one European diplomat said.
Yehor Cherniev, the deputy chair of the Ukrainian parliament’s national security committee, said F-16s could be in operation within four months of the start of training.
“When we will have well-trained pilots, the F-16s will be in the sky over Ukraine and will help us to move forward,” Cherniev said. “It’s important to us, not just as one more tool for our air defence system, but also to cover our infantry from the sky because without it, we would have more losses.”
Even if F-16s and other jets arrived in Ukraine by autumn, they would not be in time to support the widely anticipated spring-summer offensive Ukraine has been planning. However, the move represents a significant show of western resolve and could help consolidate any Ukrainian gains.
Cherniev said he thought Biden’s decision had been influenced by the speed at which Ukrainians had mastered the use of other sophisticated weaponry, such as the Patriot anti-aircraft system, and pressure from allies.
“It was our successful use of Patriots, a complicated system,” he said. “We have proven that we can learn much faster than the traditional programme. So we will be able to train our pilots much faster than the training programmes. Plus, there was the readiness of other countries to provide us with F-16s.”
The shift in US stance, could eventually allow countries such as the Netherlands to export the US-designed jets once pilots and ground crews have been trained.
This week the UK and the Netherlands announced they would set up a “jets coalition” aimed at providing Ukraine with the fighter planes it needs. The US initially said it was still negative on the topic.
A fresh background briefing on Friday, however, suggested it would not block third-party countries exporting the Lockheed Martin-made jets.
Cherniev pointed out that Belgium and Denmark had indicated they would supply fighter jets, and said he hoped other countries would declare their readiness in the wake of Biden’s announcement.
“It is just the start of this coalition,” he said.
Biden’s change in policy will avoid any embarrassment at the G7 summit. The Ukrainian president, Volodymyr Zelenskiy, is expected to visit the meeting on Sunday and is likely to repeat his “wings for freedom” request amid concerns Ukraine’s small air force will be unable to survive a long war.
Ukraine is desperate for extra airpower as it plots a counteroffensive against the Russian invasion. While its small, Soviet-standard air force remains operational, it is able to run only a dozen or so combat missions a day.
The most obvious problem with any gift of F-16s is that it would take at least three months – and more likely six to nine months – to train Ukrainian pilots and crews. Kyiv has been identifying a list of potential pilots and teaching them English so they could begin their tuition in the UK.
There are 3,000 F-16s, a jet that dates back to the late 1970s, in service in 25 countries, including several smaller European nations, such as the Netherlands. However, they are not used by the UK, France or Germany, which are able only to provide training and some related services.
The UK prime minister, Rishi Sunak, said he “welcomed announcement that the US will approve the training of Ukrainian pilots on F-16 fighter jets”. The UK would work together with the US and the Netherlands, Belgium and Denmark “to get Ukraine the combat air capability it needs”, he added.
www.theguardian.com
BBC News
The US says it will allow its Western allies to supply Ukraine with advanced fighter jets, including American-made F-16s, in a major boost for Kyiv.
National Security Adviser Jake Sullivan said President Joe Biden "informed his G7 counterparts" of the decision at the bloc's summit in Japan on Friday.
US troops will also train Kyiv's pilots to use the jets, Mr Sullivan said.
Ukraine has long sought advanced jets and President Volodymyr Zelensky hailed the move as a "historic decision".
The US legally has to approve the re-export of equipment purchased by allies and the move will clear the way for other nations to send their existing stocks of F-16s to Ukraine.
"Over the past few months, we and our allies and partners have really focussed on providing Ukraine with the systems weapon and training it needs to conduct offensive operations this spring and summer," Mr Sullivan told reporters in Hiroshima. "We have delivered what we promised."
"Now we have turned to discussions about improving the Ukrainian air force as part of our long-term commitment to Ukraine's self-defence. As the training unfolds in the coming months, we will work with our allies to determine when planes will be delivered, who will be delivering them, and how many."
Ukraine has repeatedly lobbied its Western allies to provide jets to help in its fight against Russia. Ahead of Saturday's official announcement, President Zelensky said the jets would "greatly enhance our army in the sky", adding that he looked forward to "discussing the practical implementation" of the plan at the G7 summit in Hiroshima, where he will arrive on Sunday.
The US had been sceptical about providing Ukraine with modern fighter jets - at least in the near term. Its focus has instead been on providing military support on land.
Senior US military officials who have spoken to the BBC in the past have questioned whether Western-supplied fighter jets will dramatically alter the conflict, with Russia's large air force still struggling to gain air superiority and the high density of air defence systems on the ground.
And in February, President Biden told reporters that he was "ruling out for now" sending advanced fighters to Ukraine.
But Mr Sullivan told reporters that US had provided weapons to Kyiv as they were needed on the battlefield, and the decision to start supplying advanced fighters to Ukraine indicated the conflict had entered a new phase.
"Now we have delivered everything we said we were going to deliver, so we put the Ukrainians in a position to make progress on the battlefield through the counteroffensive. We've reached a moment where it is time to look down the road, and say what is Ukraine going to need as part of a future force to defend against Russian aggression," he said.
While the change in US policy is significant, training pilots to fly F-16 jets will take time. Ukraine does have more trained fighter pilots than aircraft at present. But even training experienced fighter pilots on a new plane could take up to four months.
And then nations will need to agree to supply the jets. The F-16 is widely used by a number of European and Middle East nations as well as the US, which still manufactures the aircraft. Who is willing to supply the jets is the next key question.
The UK, Netherlands, Belgium and Denmark also welcomed the US move.
UK Prime Minister Rishi Sunak tweeted: "The UK will work together with the USA and the Netherlands, Belgium and Denmark to get Ukraine the combat air capability it needs."
The UK does not have any F-16s in its air force itself.
Denmark has announced it too will now be able to support the training of pilots, but did not confirm whether it would send any jets to Ukraine. Denmark's air force has 40 F-16s, around 30 of which are operational.
Earlier this week, Mr Sunak and Dutch Prime Minister Mark Rutte said they would build an "international coalition" to provide fighter jet support for Ukraine.
Mr Sunak said the UK would set up a flight school to train Ukrainian pilots. French leader Emmanuel Macron said his country was willing to do the same but would not provide jets.
Some of the opposition to sending the jets has centred around maintenance issues, with former Nato official Dr Jamie Shea saying they require extensive maintenance after almost every fight.
Some Nato member countries have also expressed their worries that handing jets to Ukraine would be viewed as escalating the war, risking a direct confrontation with Russia.
At the start of Russia's full-scale invasion, Ukraine was believed to have around 120 combat capable aircraft - mainly consisting of aging Soviet-era MiG-29s and Su-27s.
But officials say they need up to 200 jets to match Moscow's air-power - which is thought to be five or six times greater than Kyiv's.
Mr Zelensky has primarily been asking its allies for F-16s. First built in the 1970s, the jet can travel at twice the speed of sound and can engage targets in the air or on the ground.
While now eclipsed by the more modern F-35, it remains widely in use. Experts say modern fighters like the F-16 would help Ukraine strike behind Russian lines.
Earlier this year some Eastern European countries sent Soviet-era Mig fighter jets to Ukraine.
F-16 fighter jets: Biden to let allies supply warplanes in major boost for Kyiv
President Biden backs a plan to supply advanced fighter jets and train Ukrainian pilots.
www.bbc.com
US to back fighter jet training for Ukrainian pilots
International training programme, to begin soon in Europe, would be prerequisite to transfer of F-16s to KyivDan Sabbagh and Julian Borger
Fri 19 May 2023 17.50 BST
The US has told its allies it will back a joint international effort to train Ukrainian pilots to fly F-16 and other modern fighter jets, marking a significant boost to western support for Kyiv as it prepares a major counteroffensive.
Joe Biden has already informed fellow leaders attending a G7 summit in Japan of his decision, a senior administration official said, adding that the plan would include training “on fourth-generation fighter aircraft, including F-16s, to further strengthen and improve the capabilities of the Ukrainian air force”.
The fourth generation category includes Britain’s Eurofighter Typhoon and France’s Mirage 2000.
“As the training takes place over the coming months, our coalition of countries participating in this effort will decide when to actually provide jets, how many we will provide, and who will provide them,” the senior official said. “This training will take place outside Ukraine at sites in Europe and will require months to complete. We hope we can begin this training in the coming weeks.”
The decision represents a dramatic shift in stance by Washington, which had previously presented the supply of F16s to Ukraine as unfeasible.
The Ukrainian president, Volodymyr Zelenskiy, tweeted: “I welcome the historic decision of the United States and @POTUS to support an international fighter jet coalition. This will greatly enhance our army in the sky. I count on discussing the practical implementation of this decision at the #G7 summit in Hiroshima.”
The speed of the U-turn took some allies by surprise.
There had been reports that the US would give a green light for other states to make preparations to supply western fighter jets, but even close allies did not expect Biden to support direct US involvement in a training programme.
“Things are moving really fast in Japan. Faster even than we had dared hoped,” one European diplomat said.
Yehor Cherniev, the deputy chair of the Ukrainian parliament’s national security committee, said F-16s could be in operation within four months of the start of training.
“When we will have well-trained pilots, the F-16s will be in the sky over Ukraine and will help us to move forward,” Cherniev said. “It’s important to us, not just as one more tool for our air defence system, but also to cover our infantry from the sky because without it, we would have more losses.”
Even if F-16s and other jets arrived in Ukraine by autumn, they would not be in time to support the widely anticipated spring-summer offensive Ukraine has been planning. However, the move represents a significant show of western resolve and could help consolidate any Ukrainian gains.
Cherniev said he thought Biden’s decision had been influenced by the speed at which Ukrainians had mastered the use of other sophisticated weaponry, such as the Patriot anti-aircraft system, and pressure from allies.
“It was our successful use of Patriots, a complicated system,” he said. “We have proven that we can learn much faster than the traditional programme. So we will be able to train our pilots much faster than the training programmes. Plus, there was the readiness of other countries to provide us with F-16s.”
The shift in US stance, could eventually allow countries such as the Netherlands to export the US-designed jets once pilots and ground crews have been trained.
This week the UK and the Netherlands announced they would set up a “jets coalition” aimed at providing Ukraine with the fighter planes it needs. The US initially said it was still negative on the topic.
A fresh background briefing on Friday, however, suggested it would not block third-party countries exporting the Lockheed Martin-made jets.
Cherniev pointed out that Belgium and Denmark had indicated they would supply fighter jets, and said he hoped other countries would declare their readiness in the wake of Biden’s announcement.
“It is just the start of this coalition,” he said.
Biden’s change in policy will avoid any embarrassment at the G7 summit. The Ukrainian president, Volodymyr Zelenskiy, is expected to visit the meeting on Sunday and is likely to repeat his “wings for freedom” request amid concerns Ukraine’s small air force will be unable to survive a long war.
Ukraine is desperate for extra airpower as it plots a counteroffensive against the Russian invasion. While its small, Soviet-standard air force remains operational, it is able to run only a dozen or so combat missions a day.
The most obvious problem with any gift of F-16s is that it would take at least three months – and more likely six to nine months – to train Ukrainian pilots and crews. Kyiv has been identifying a list of potential pilots and teaching them English so they could begin their tuition in the UK.
There are 3,000 F-16s, a jet that dates back to the late 1970s, in service in 25 countries, including several smaller European nations, such as the Netherlands. However, they are not used by the UK, France or Germany, which are able only to provide training and some related services.
The UK prime minister, Rishi Sunak, said he “welcomed announcement that the US will approve the training of Ukrainian pilots on F-16 fighter jets”. The UK would work together with the US and the Netherlands, Belgium and Denmark “to get Ukraine the combat air capability it needs”, he added.
US to back fighter jet training for Ukrainian pilots
International training programme, to begin soon in Europe, would be prerequisite to transfer of F-16s to Kyiv
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