KYIV, May 2 – Non-operational F-16s are being pulled from the US boneyard and sent to Ukraine to support the growing fleet of European-donated fighters, the American publication The War Zone reports, citing sources in the US Air Force.

According to the publication, the U.S. Department of the Air Force “has supported the sustainment of European-donated F-16s to Ukraine by providing disused and completely non-operational F-16s to Ukraine for parts.” These F-16s were retired from active U.S. use and are not flyable. Importantly, they lack critical components such as an engine or radar and could not be reconstituted for operational use,” the interlocutor of the ezine noted.

Evidence that the F-16s were headed to Ukraine came last week, when photos began to circulate on social media showing at least three shrink-wrapped F-16s, minus wings, tails, engines, and radomes, being loaded onto an Antonov Airlines An-124 at Tucson International Airport, Arizona.

The publication notes that the United States did not commit to transferring its F-16 fighters to Ukraine, but earlier this month, General Christopher Cavoli, Commander, U.S. European Command, and Supreme Allied Commander Europe (SACEUR), told a Senate Committee that additional F-16s were being prepared for delivery to Ukraine, although he didn’t mention the source.

In all, around 85 operational F-16s have now been promised to Ukraine, which include 24 from the Netherlands, 19 from Denmark, and 12 from Norway (with the same country providing 10 more that will be used for spare parts), while Belgium says it will supply 30. However, some of these aircraft are not sent to Ukraine, but are used to train Ukrainian pilots in other countries.

While the airframes provided by the United States won’t add to this flyable total, they will nevertheless deliver a significant boost when it comes to supporting Ukraine’s growing Viper fleet. The U.S. has not been interested in directly supplying Ukraine with flyable F-16s, but that could always change at some point,” the message reads. (om/ez)