Netherlands boosts Ukraine's defense with more F‑16 jets in 2025
The Netherlands has confirmed that it will deliver another batch of F-16 fighter jets to Ukraine in 2025, reports Army Recognition. The exact number of aircraft and the specific delivery timeline remain undisclosed. Previously, the Netherlands supported Ukraine by providing F-16A/B Block 20 MLU aircraft, which bolstered Ukraine's air defense and combat capabilities.
At the end of January 2025, Ukrainian Defense Minister Rustem Umerov announced that the Netherlands would supply Ukraine with another F-16 fighter jets. This decision followed a meeting with Dutch Defense Minister Ruben Brekelmans in The Hague. During the meeting, the ministers discussed enhancing Ukraine's air capabilities and the ongoing training programs for Ukrainian pilots and technicians.
More F-16s for Ukraine
The Netherlands is pivotal in Ukraine's mission to fortify its air defenses. In August 2024, the first F-16s—specifically, the F-16A/B Block 20 MLU models—arrived in Ukraine. These upgraded aircraft have significantly improved Ukraine's capacity to counteract threats from Russia, including missile and drone attacks.
The shipment of F-16s is part of a larger NATO support initiative. Plans to deliver 42 F-16 fighter jets were revealed in August 2023. Since then, Army Recognition notes that additional commitments from the Netherlands, Denmark, Norway, and Belgium have increased to about 65 aircraft.
The F-16A/B Block 20 MLU is an upgraded version of the iconic F-16 Fighting Falcon multirole fighter jet. The "MLU" stands for "Mid-Life Update," a modernization program that aims to extend the aircraft's service life and adapt it to meet contemporary battlefield demands. This variant was developed with long-time F-16A/B users in mind, primarily European countries like Belgium, Denmark, Norway, and the Netherlands, which operated older versions and required modernization without investing in entirely new models.
Thanks to modernization, the F-16A/B Block 20 MLU models can now carry a diverse range of modern missile and bomb systems. They can be equipped with AIM-9 Sidewinder and AIM-120 AMRAAM air-to-air missiles. Additionally, the aircraft can deploy laser-guided and GPS-guided bombs, such as the GBU-12 Paveway II and JDAM.
