According to Business Insider, Europe may have to find a way to fill the arms gap, especially the F-16 fighter jet after US President Donald Trump decided to stop military aid to Ukraine last week.
The F-16 fighter jet is considered the main weapon of the Ukrainian army in the conflict with Russia. According to Peter Layton, an expert at the Griffith Institute of Asia and a former Royal Air Force officer, Ukrainian F-16s have shot down many targets on the battlefield, including unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs), cruise missiles and ground vehicles.
During the early stages of the conflict with Russia, Ukraine requested F-16 support, but it was not until August 2024 that Kiev received the first batch.
Many of Ukraine's allies in Europe have more transshipable F 16, and Trump's move could prompt them to provide more aid. But because the US-made F-16, Trump could block these transfers.
Mr. Layton said that the US may even stop supplying replacement parts, causing the Ukrainian F-16 squadron to " Gradually lose its ability to operate". Although European countries also have enough reserve components, if Washington does not grant a transfer license, they will not be able to provide it to Ukraine, he added.
According to Business Insider, the best option to replace the F-16 at the moment is the Swedish Gripen, manufactured by Saab. The Gripen can take off from the civil highway and is designed to counter Russia.
Justin Bronk, a leading air force expert at the RUSI Institute, said that Gripen is suitable for Ukraine in almost all aspects. However, so far no country has committed to providing Gripen to Ukraine.
Europe also owns other fighter jets, such as the Eurofighter Typhoon, but they have not yet committed to providing aid.
However, a big problem for Ukraine is that the country's training and deployment program is focusing heavily on the F-16, so switching to another type of aircraft will cause many problems.
Swedish Defense Minister Pal Jonson said that receiving a new fighter jet would put Ukraine in a big challenge, but still pledged to support Ukraine's air force by focusing on providing aerial sensors to the F-16.
Defense expert at the Center for Strategic and International Studies, Mr. Mark Cancian, said that the biggest limitation of fighters is pilots and affirmed that they cannot train them in just a few weeks.
According to Mr. George Barros, a Russian expert at the Institute for the Study of War, Europe will find it difficult to train enough pilots for the Gripen because few countries have used it, affirming that the F-16 is the ideal aircraft model for Ukraine because of the flexibility and popularity of the system.
Europe has pledged to continue supporting Ukraine, but the loss of US aid would require larger spending, and some weapons would be much more difficult to replace. Another fighter jet could be an option for Ukraine if the F-16 is no longer available, but it is an option that comes with many problems that Ukraine will find difficult to carry.
