PM: Norway has delivered six F-16 aircraft to Ukraine

Norwegian Prime Minister Jonas Gahr Støre has announced his country has formally transferred six F-16 fighter jets to Ukraine, with the aircraft currently undergoing maintenance abroad and expected to be ready for operational use soon.

During a joint briefing with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy in Oslo, he said the jets, previously in Norwegian service and retired after the country’s transition to F-35 aircraft, require additional repair and preparation before entering Ukrainian service, Caliber.Az reports, citing the Ukrainian media.

The maintenance work is currently being carried out in Belgium under arrangements involving the United States and Ukraine.

“Norway has transferred six F-16 aircraft to Ukraine. These are aircraft that were no longer in use in Norway because we have had F-35s for several years. They required significant repairs and preparations to be introduced into the Ukrainian Air Force,” he noted.

According to him, those aircraft are already Ukrainian property; they are being repaired and maintained by technicians in Belgium under an agreement involving the United States and Ukraine.

“I believe the first of these aircraft will be ready for missions soon,” Støre said, without specifying a timeline.

By Bakhtiyar Abbasov