Netherlands to buy F-16 munitions, drones worth $381M for Ukraine

The Netherlands has allocated over 350 million euros ($381 million) to purchase F-16 ammunition and advanced reconnaissance drones for Ukraine.

Over 150 million euros ($163 million) will be spent on the F-16 air-to-ground munitions and over 200 million euros ($218 million) on the drones.

Amsterdam announced it would send 24 F-16s for Ukraine last year along with Denmark, which is sending 37.

First F-16 in Ukraine this Summer

The first batch of F-16s is expected to arrive in Ukraine this summer, Reuters wrote, citing Dutch Defense Minister Kajsa Ollongren.

“I’m very confident that we will start delivering F-16s this summer… Denmark first, and we have a schedule … so in the second half of the year the Dutch F-16s will be going this way,” Reuters quoted Ollongren as saying.

Apart from the two countries, the US and Norway are also expected to send the aircraft.

The Netherlands is also providing 18 F-16s for the training of Ukrainian and Romanian pilots.