No, the United States Is Not Giving Ukraine 'Squadrons' of Modern Fighters
The new U.S.-Ukrainian security agreement mostly refers to a European-Ukrainian F-16 initiative
No, the United States has not promised Ukraine “squadrons” of modern fighter jets from the U.S. arsenal.
Vague language and incomplete readings of the new U.S.-Ukrainian security agreement has prompted some media—particularly, Ukrainian media—to claim entire units of American fighters are Ukraine-bound.
But that’s not what the 10-year bilateral security agreement, which U.S. president Joe Biden and Ukrainian president Volodymyr Zelensky signed on Thursday, promises.
Instead, the agreement commits the United States to working, “principally through an allied consortium, on the modernization of Ukraine’s air force, including working toward procurement of squadrons of modern fighter aircraft, sustainment, armament and associated training to support fourth-generation fighter capability (including, but not limited to, F-16 multi-role aircraft).”
The verbiage “principally through an allied consortium” clearly refers to the current U.S. effort to support the donation to Ukraine—by Belgium, Denmark, The Netherlands and Norway—of 85 surplus Lockheed Martin F-16A/B Mid-Life Update fighters.
The United States cleared the F-16 consortium to re-export the license-built F-16s and also has trained Ukrainian F-16 pilots at a base in Arizona. U.S. aid packages to Ukraine have included munitions that are compatible with the supersonic F-16s.
And yes, those 85 ex-European F-16s are enough to equip “squadrons.” The security deal obviously is describing the current, European-led F-16 initiative, which should deliver its first combat-ready jets in the coming weeks.
What’s intriguing is the reference to possible other fighter types, in addition to the F-16, that the United States and other countries might work together to provide to Ukraine. France already has pledged surplus Mirage 2000-5 fighters to Ukraine, but that initiative does not require American participation.
What other “fourth-generation” jets is the United States considering for future transfer to Ukraine, either directly or through an intermediary? Boeing F/A-18s? Boeing F-15s? Fairchild Republic A-10s?
Or will the time come when the United States finally is willing to transfer its own surplus F-16s? There are hundreds of ex-U.S. Air Force F-16s sitting in storage at the USAF boneyard in Arizona. Modernized F-16C/Ds are roughly equivalent to Ukraine’s future F-16A/B MLUs—although the old C/Ds might require extensive overhaul before they’re safe for flight.
With 85 ex-European F-16s and a dozen or two Mirage 2000-5s, the Ukrainian air force could reequip all of its existing brigades—and position itself for another few years of hard fighting.
All that is to say, it could be a while before there’s an urgent need for the United States to make good on its new security pledge and help Ukraine acquire modern fighters in addition to the F-16s and Mirages Ukraine already is getting.
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