The Last Dutch F-16s for Ukraine have left the Netherlands
May 27, 2025
Dutch Minister of Defence Ruben Brekelmans said that: “It is a nostalgic moment, because the F-16s were so central to our air force for decades. But now that we are saying goodbye after the transition to F-35s, I could not have thought of a better destination than Ukraine. Because of the daily Russian air strikes, the F-16s are of vital importance to Ukraine. It enables them to keep Russian aggression at bay for us too.”
“In no time, the Ukrainian air force had to make a shared transition to the F-16. In peacetime, that takes years. This has now been done in record time. A great achievement by the Ukrainian pilots and technicians. But on the Dutch side, our people have also worked incredibly hard to make this happen. I have a lot of appreciation for that. They have already saved lives. The F-16s have a better overview of the battlefield and a higher chance of survival than the outdated Soviet aircraft that the Ukrainian air force flew.”
In total, the Netherlands donated 24 F-16 aircraft to Ukraine (the last pair being F-16AMs J-641 and J-011), and these have already made a big impression, taking down cruise missiles and drones.
The Dutch involvement in Ukraine’s F-16 program is far from over. Together with Denmark and the United States, the Netherlands leads the international F-16 coalition and will continue to provide the total support package required to keep the F-16s in the air, including training, spare parts, ammunition and fuel. This Dutch involvement will ensure that Ukraine uses its new fighter aircraft most effectively.
In addition, Ukrainian pilots are trained in Romania at the European F-16 Training Center (EFTC), which is equipped with 18 Dutch F-16s. The Netherlands is also planning to set up a training center for ground personnel in Romania.
