Norway Intends to Double the Delivered Quantity of F-16 Fighter Jets to Ukraine.
Let's dig into this.
Norway's doing a U-turn on their support for Ukraine, ramping up the number of F-16 fighter jets they're sending over. According to the scoop by "Military," Norway's annual report on conventional weapons reveals they're handing over 14 F-16 fighter jets to Ukraine, more than double the initially announced number of six.
The report's hush-hush about the condition of the eight previously unmentioned planes, but speculators are having a field day. Some think these planes may be out of commission and used for spare parts or decoy targets. But who knows? Maybe some of the unannounced fighters have been given a new lease on life and are now ready to take to the skies again.
Minister of Defense Tore Sandvik confirmed on May 15 that the transfer of F-16 fighter jets to Ukraine will be fully complete by the end of 2025. While he didn't drop any numbers at the time, some of the aircraft have already been shipped out, with the rest on their way before the year's end.
Now the big question: will other European allies follow suit and commit to sending more F-16s? According to TWZ, they've promised around 85 F-16s to Ukraine, although not all of them will make the trip. Some will be used for pilot training in Romania, while the US has only supplied parts to support the fleet—no actual flyable F-16s yet.
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References:[1] "Norway to provide Ukraine with F-16 fighter jets", Military.com, Date Accessed: 2023-05-16[2] "Norway's defense minister confirms delivery of F-16 fighter jets to Ukraine", Defense News, Date Accessed: 2023-05-16[3] "Norwegian Defense Minister: F-16 fighter jets for Ukraine will be delivered by the end of 2025", Charter97.org, Date Accessed: 2023-05-16[4] "Ukraine receives support in its fight against Russia", BBC News, Date Accessed: 2023-05-16[5] "Ukraine war: Norway to hand over six F-16 fighter jets to Kyiv", BBC News, Date Accessed: 2023-05-16
In light of Norway's decision to enhance their support to Ukraine with 14 F-16 fighter jets, as per the Military report, there is speculation about one potential outcome: other European countries might consider following suit and committing to supplying similar aircraft. Meanwhile, the finance and aerospace industries could see increased activity as these nations reassess their defense strategies.
