Norway donates F-16s to Ukraine

Norway will deliver F-16A/B Falcons from its stocks to Ukraine, the Prime Minister of Norway announced during a state visit to Kiev.

Norway purchased a total of 74 F-16A/B fighter jets in the 1980s, 56 of which were retrofitted during the Mid-Life Modernization (MLU) in the late 1990s. Last year, the Norwegian Air Force retired 57 F-16A/Bs and replaced them with F-35A Lightning IIs. The phase-out of the F-16A/B paved the way for the sale of 32 aircraft to Romania to replace the MiG-29 and MiG-21 there.

During a visit by Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky, Norwegian Prime Minister Jonas Gahr Stoer announced that Norway was ready to cede part of its remaining F-16A/B fleet to Ukraine. Norway will report the number and timeframe of this transaction in due course.

Norway is also in negotiations with US providers who wish to acquire 12 F-16s for the Norwegian Air Force for use as a bomber and target for the US Air Force. Norway can now turn around here and deliver these machines to Ukraine. The remaining 13 F-16A/Bs are no longer in working condition and can only be used as spare parts donors or museum display samples.