Deliveries of F-16 fighters to Ukraine will begin this year, Pentagon chief Lloyd Austin said. As part of the military equipment transfer program, the Ukraine contact group plans to deliver more than a squadron of these aircraft, along with pilots and technical personnel trained for operations. Given that in the United States a squadron traditionally means 12 fighters, it is expected that deliveries could include up to 16 aircraft.

According to Avia.pro, the transfer concerns specifically American fighters, but the total number of aircraft that Ukraine will receive may exceed 70, since most of them will be provided by European countries. This means that Ukraine will significantly strengthen its aviation fleet by gaining access to one of the modern versions of the F-16, capable of carrying long-range AMRAAM aircraft missiles with a range of up to 180 kilometers. This is a significant increase in Kyiv’s capabilities, given that the Ukrainian Armed Forces currently use missiles with a range of up to 20-25 kilometers.