Ukraine's Armed Forces must receive F-16 fighter jets in the future, but now Western partners should focus on providing Ukraine with air defence systems, missiles and armoured vehicles, Pentagon chief Lloyd Austin said in the US Senate, Ukrinform reports.
“Regarding the F16 fighters, if such a decision is made, it will take approximately 18 months to provide these capabilities. However, this will not help the Ukrainians at this stage of the war. Can the Ukrainians get fighters in the future? We all believe so,” the US Secretary of Defence said.
He noted that these could be F-16 fighters or other fourth-generation aircraft.
“So we will continue to work with our partners to ensure that Ukraine has exactly what it needs,” Austin emphasized.
According to him, the Pentagon communicates with partners in Ukraine sometimes several times a week to agree on steps to support the Ukrainian military.
“Now the main need of Ukrainians is anti-aircraft defence. This is a critical necessity on the battlefield. They also need long-range weapons and armoured vehicles,” the Pentagon chief said.
Austin also said Ukraine has a very good chance of a successful counter-offensive in the spring of 2023.