Dutch Defense Minister confirms delivery of first F-16 fighters to Ukraine

Dutch Defense Minister Ruben Brekelmans has confirmed that the first Dutch F-16 fighter jets have arrived in Ukraine. 

“For the first time, I can officially announce that the first Dutch F-16s have been delivered to Ukraine,” Brekelmans stated on the social media platform X. “This is urgently needed. In Kharkiv, I saw the damage from Russian airstrikes and heard frequent air raid alarms. The rest of the 24 jets will follow in the coming months.” 

This delivery is part of the Netherlands’ broader military aid package to Ukraine, which now totals approximately €3.76 billion. The Dutch Ministry of Defense reports that a significant portion of the €700 million allocated since June 2024 has been dedicated to maintaining and sustaining previously delivered military systems. 

Included in this support are spare parts, ammunition, and necessary equipment for the operational continuity of systems, such as the Panzerhaubitze 2000 howitzers, Patriot air defense systems, and F-16 fighters. Namely, the Netherlands has committed to supplying surface-to-air missiles from its stock, €450 million for ammunition procurement, and €80 million for maintenance contracts and spare parts. 

The Dutch Air Force operated the F-16A/B Block 20 MLU (MidLife Update) variants, upgraded between 2003 and 2005, with modern combat enhancements. The MLU variant includes a Head-Up Display (HUD) for night operations, a GPS receiver, and a Westinghouse (now Northrop Grumman) AN/APG-66 fire control radar. It can deploy six AIM-120 AMRAAM air-to-air missiles with a range of 150 kilometers (95 miles) and release precision-guided bombs like the GBU-24 Paveway III and JDAM. It also has the ability to carry Sniper and Litening targeting pods. 

After 45 years of service, the Royal Netherlands Air Force officially retired its F-16 fighter jets on September 27, 2024.  Their missions, from air defense to ground attacks, were taken over by the Dutch F-35 Lightning II fighters, which reached Full Operational Capability around the same day. 

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The Ukrainian Air Force received its F-16 fighter jets in early August 2024, with President Volodymyr Zelenskyy confirming their first combat use on August 27, 2024. However, the exact number of aircraft delivered and their countries of origin remain unclear at this time. 

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