Reports: NATO-member Norway Follows the Netherlands, Denmark to Donate F-16 Fighters to Ukraine

Breitbart ^ | 08/24/2023 | SIMON KENT

[ChicagoConservative27]

Numerous reports Thursday said NATO-member Norway has rushed to follow the Netherlands and Denmark to donate U.S.-made F-16 fighter jets to Ukraine.

Norwegian media outlets made their revelations as Norwegian Prime Minister Jonas Gahr Støre was visiting the Ukraine capital Kyiv.

AP reports there was no official confirmation of the plan, which was reported by Norwegian broadcasters NRK and TV2.

Ukraine has long pleaded for the sophisticated fighter jets to give it a combat edge, as Breitbart News reported.

[ChicagoConservative27]

All these people visiting Kyiv as if nothing is happening...

[MMusson]

ICYMI - Norway and Denmark have both Invaded Russia at different times in history. As a matter of fact, EVERY single member of NATO has sent invasion troops into Russia. Even the United States invaded Russia in 1919/1920.

[Gunslingr3]

All these people visiting Kyiv as if nothing is happening...

The Special Milotary Olympians retreated from Kiev a long time ago.

[tlozo]

As a matter of fact, EVERY single member of NATO has sent invasion troops into Russia. Even the United States invaded Russia in 1919/1920.

Sure, lets validate Putin's invasion and annexing of Ukraine in 2022 by going back to 1919. World has changed since WW2.

[SeeSharp]

Anybody know which radar these donated F-16’s have?

[PIF]

On 6 January 2022, Norway announced that all F-16s had been retired, totaling 74 aircraft.

With the 61 already committed, the total will be 135

[SeeSharp]

ICYMI - Norway and Denmark have both Invaded Russia at different times in history. As a matter of fact, EVERY single member of NATO has sent invasion troops into Russia. Even the United States invaded Russia in 1919/1920.

And what were the dates of the Norway and Denmark invasions of Russia? I mean seriously?

As for the multilateral intervention at Archangel, that was in support of the remnants of the legitimate government of Russia and in opposition to the Bolsheviks. The Russians should be grateful.

[tlozo]

NATO-member Norway Follows the Netherlands, Denmark to Donate F-16 Fighters to Ukraine,

Denmark and the Netherlands will be providing F-16A/B Block 20 MLU (Mid-Life Update) variants that represent late iterations of the 45-year-old fighter jet. These aircraft were modernized through the MLU program between 2003 and 2005 with enhanced avionics, improved radar systems, and upgraded weaponry. With radars such as the APG66 and missiles like the AIM-120 with a range of up to 150 kilometers, they ensure formidable air superiority.

The F-16 MLU features a Head-Up Display (HUD) compatible with night operations, a GPS receiver, and a Westinghouse (now Northrop Grumman) AN/APG-66 fire control radar allowing it to carry and fire six AIM-120 AMRAAM air-to-air missiles, with an operational range of 150 kilometers (95 miles). It can drop guided bombs such as the GBU-24 Paveway III or the Joint Direct Attack Munitions (JDAM). This variant of the fighter also possesses the capability to carry Sniper and Litening targeting pods

[FtrPilot]

Anybody know which radar these donated F-16’s have?

I believe the F-16s are considered to be F-16AM/BM.

Here's a link...scroll down to "F-16AM/BM Block 20 MLU".

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/General_Dynamics_F-16_Fighting_Falcon_variants

FTA: The F-16 Mid-Life Update (MLU) package was designed to upgrade the cockpit and avionics to the equivalent of that on the F-16C/D Block 50/52; add the ability to employ radar-guided air-to-air missiles; and to generally enhance the operational performance and improve the reliability, supportability and maintainability of the aircraft.

[dennisw]

Very nice F-16 donations. But the Russians will be placing their destruction and their base destruction as top priority. I hope the Ukrainians can protect these new airplanes. When they get them. Lots of pilot training to be done!

[Justa]

Maybe they’ll just fly out of NATO bases as the UKR pilots get up to speed. Then maybe run some missions from their training bases. You know like Chinese and Russian pilots did in the Korean and Vietnam wars.

Payback’s a B!

[T.B. Yoits]

Gotta clear out the F-16s to make room for F-35s paid for by U.S. taxpayers.

[SeeSharp]

That’s an avionics upgrade, not a radar upgrade. The original AN/APG-66 radars had a range of 35 miles. The upgrade was the AN/APG-68 and had a range of 150 miles. I just don’t know if any of these planes ever got that upgrade. It would be a huge win for Ukraine if they did.

[Worldtraveler once upon a time]

---:...as Norwegian Prime Minister Jonas Gahr Støre was visiting the Ukraine capital Kyiv."

It is interesting how many "elites" have visited a non-NATO nation actively at war with another non-NATO nation. Photo-ops aplenty for the home town folks. As iof they all called ahead to find if a missile barrage wasn't planned for that day....

But these almost 50-year old air frames, planning to be retired, are not state-of-the-art aircraft and in the moment Ukraine has no pilots fully trained on them, with precious few in the training pipeline.

It seems that "donating" what was planned to be scrapped is a fine bit of show business.

One observes that Netherlands, Denmark and Norway took until well past the 500 day mark to even trot this out, having missed a year and a half beforehand to do so.

As if it were for the press value. Headline news....

[blitz128]

True, every country or territory has been invaded by others just depends on how far you wish to go back, BTW. Russia has done a tad of invading on their own, ask the fins, Crimean Tatars, Poland (in conjunction with Nazi germany) Lithuania Latvia Hungary Estonia Georgia Chechnya Ukraine Ukraine

History hummm

[blitz128]

Same could be said of abrams, Strykers, and abrams, but still better than what they have and better that Russian stuff, so donate or scrap

Sounds like a good use for them and the Ukrainians

I agree that this should have happened some time ago, as for training taking off, landing, and firing munitions is not that difficult to train up on

My opinion

[blitz128]

Lol as if they have not already, and can’t eliminate what the Ukrainians have right now

Seems like lately the Russians need to step up their airfield defenses

[Worldtraveler once upon a time]

--- "as for training taking off, landing, and firing munitions is not that difficult to train up on"

We don't fully disagree. I think thugs should duke it out with thugs, and these non-NATO thugs seem to be doing that.

On the notion of training a fighter pilot and reflecting back on some of Milley's remarks, have you an idea as to how long training will take, how many pilots will be trained. Apparently, English language instruction has to be part of things.

[Dilbert56]

If their radar range is only 35 miles, they’ll need AWACS support. There must be some old E2s collecting dust somewhere.

Ukraine should not be restricted from flying the F16s over Russia. The planes carrying drones from Iran are legitimate targets. One or two AAMRAMs against them would save dozens of costly drone intercepts later. Sounds like Vietnam where Russian SAMs couldn’t be destroyed in the harbor and our pilots had to allow them to become operational.

[buwaya]

Some of what he’s talking about goes back at least a thousand years...