Norway’s prime minister announced in Kiev that it will donate an unspecified number of F-16 fighter jets to Ukraine, following the example of the Netherlands and Denmark.
Norway is part of the coalition of NATO countries committed to the F-16 training program for Ukrainian pilots, and is now also one of three of Kiev’s allied states to promise Volodymir Zelensky the delivery of these vital U.S.-origin fighters.
Norway will provide F-16s to Ukraine. The best news for our Independence Day.
During our talks, I thanked Prime Minister @JonasGahrStore and all Norwegians for this and other crucial support.
We will also be glad to hold one of the next rounds of Peace Formula talks in Oslo. pic.twitter.com/8sqav6mQOl
— Володимир Зеленський (@ZelenskyyUa) August 24, 2023
‘Norway is supporting Ukraine in its efforts to build a modern air defence system. This is both important and necessary. We have already decided to train Ukrainian fighter jet pilots and announced in the summer that we would provide two Norwegian F-16 jets for training purposes. We are planning to donate Norwegian F-16 fighter jets to Ukraine, and will provide further details about the donation, numbers and time frame for delivery, in due course,’ said Prime Minister Jonas Gahr Støre.
The Norwegian Ministry of Defense press release notes that the donation of these jets will be carried out in close cooperation with the allies. Denmark and the Netherlands have also announced that they will donate 61 F-16 fighters between them.
See also: Denmark and Netherlands pledge 61 F-16 fighters to Zelensky
‘We will continue our dialogue with the US and other close allies on the development of a modern air defence system in Ukraine. Norway has provided substantial military support to Ukraine and we will continue to do so. The donation of these F-16 jets will significantly strengthen Ukraine’s military capabilities,’ said Minister of Defence Bjørn Arild Gram.
How many F-16s could Norway donate?
Norway completed the retirement from active service of its last 64 F-16 fighters (acquired in the 1980s) in early 2022, as they are being replaced by the fifth-generation Lockheed Martin F-35.
Considered to be Europe’s best maintained and most up-to-date F-16 fleet, these aircraft are highly sought after on the military surplus market and U.S. aggressor training company Draken International rushed to buy a dozen aircraft. Then, in November 2022, Romania signed a contract for the purchase of another 32 ex-Norwegian F-16MLU aircraft for €388 million, which would serve to replace its aging MiG-21 LanceR.
This would leave Norway with about twenty F-16 A/Bs for eventual handover to Ukraine. These aircraft are upgraded to the advanced MLU standard M6.5.2 configuration, which includes the ability to deliver modern smart bombs such as the laser-guided JDAM or the AIM-120D AMRAAM long-range air-to-air and IRIS-T short-range air-to-air missiles.
