MOD to support provision of F-16s to Ukraine rather than provide old RAF Typhoons
Britain will support the provision of F-16 fighter jets to Ukraine rather than offering Kyiv the UK's supply of old Typhoons, Armed Forces Minister Luke Pollard has said.
He said the MOD has looked into the positives and negatives of providing Typhoons to Ukraine several times - but would instead look to provide pilot and English language training for pilots and ground crew.
Mr Pollard also said the decision not to provide Typhoons but to continue supporting the delivery of F-16s had been made after discussing the issue with the Ukrainian government.
"Twenty-four Ukrainian pilots have graduated from intensive fast jet lead-in training under the guidance of Royal Air Force instructors," he said.
"I attended the graduation of Ukrainian pilots trained by the UK last year."
"We should be very proud of our role training them, and proud of the brave individuals we train for supporting their freedom."
The issue had been raised by Conservative MP Mark Francois, who asked Mr Healey what assessment had been made of the potential merits of Tranche 1 Typhoons being repurposed for deployment in Ukraine.
The Armed Forces Minister pointed to the decision taken in 2023 by Denmark and the Netherlands to donate 61 F-16 jets to Ukraine as why the UK would not be sending Typhoons.
The number of F-16s was "significantly greater than the number of Tranche 1 Typhoons in RAF service", he added.
It comes after a former RAF commander said Europe needed to reconsider plans for an air protection zone over western Ukraine.
The blueprint – called Sky Shield – was first devised in 2022, but its backers say it's now even more necessary after US president Donald Trump withdrew military assistance to Ukraine.
Sky Shield would see dozens of fighter jets, including potentially RAF Typhoons, on air protection patrols over Ukraine.
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