US Senators from both parties press the Pentagon on sending F-16s to Ukraine
15 March, 2023 Myrhorod, Safe Sky 2011 exercise. American F-16 and Ukrainian Su-27 fighters.
2011. Ukraine.
Photo credits: poltava.to Eight US Senators from both parties sent a letter to the Pentagon demanding clarification on what is needed to send F-16 fighter jets to Ukraine. Politico reported on this.
Senators addressed a letter to Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin. In their opinion, top administration officials, starting with President Joe Biden, have poured cold water on calls to send U.S.-made fighter jets to Ukraine. The letter obtained by the media states that the war between Russia and Ukraine is "now at a critical juncture," the senators wrote, arguing F-16 fighter jets could give Kyiv an edge.
F-16 Fighting Falcon.
Photo credits: 115th Fighter Wing
"After speaking with the U.S., Ukrainian, and foreign leaders working to support Ukraine at the Munich Security Conference last month, we believe the U.S. needs to take a hard look at providing F-16 aircraft to Ukraine. This would be a significant capability that could prove to be a game changer on the battlefield," the letter reads. The senators requested Austin to provide them with assessments by the end of the week on various factors needed to successfully transfer F-16s to Ukraine.
Among their questions, the lawmakers asked how high Ukrainian officials are ranking fighter jets when making requests for weapons and how the F-16s might be sourced if approved -- either newly produced or from current inventories. The senators also asked about the military's assessment of what impact F-16s would have on the hostilities and how quickly Ukrainian pilots could be trained on the jets.
F-16s of the U.S. Air Force.
Photo from open sources
In addition, the group hailed reports that two Ukrainian pilots came to the U.S. for a fighter skills assessment at Tucson's Morris Air National Guard Base. The initiator of the letter was the senator from this state, Mark Kelly. The publication also emphasizes the assessment of Gen.
Christopher Cavoli, the top U.S. and NATO commander in Europe, who emphasized that sending F-16s and long-range missiles could help bolster Ukraine's defenses. However, Pentagon Policy Director Colin Kahl stated that transferring fighter jets from stocks could take up to 18 months while producing newer jets could take three to six years to deliver. He also emphasized that air defense systems, artillery, ammunition, and armored vehicles remain the main priority for Ukraine.
As previously reported, Ukraine has started discussing pilot training with Norway.
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