While Sweden is prepared to send its Gripen fighters to Ukraine, the head of a key ally’s military expressed reservations about the timing of such a move. Chief of Defence of the Netherlands, General Onno Eichelsheim, stated, “In the long term, yes, [but] I think we have to avoid providing too many systems to Ukraine, as they are facing a shortage of pilots.” Speaking to Breaking Defense, he emphasized the importance of maintaining a balance between the number of systems and available pilots, suggesting that priority should be given to evaluating the capabilities necessary at the moment.
In July, the Netherlands, Denmark, and the US announced plans to donate F-16s from Dutch and Danish inventories to Ukraine. Although the US has rejected requests to send current American fighter jets, it has permitted other nations to supply their US-made aircraft.
At the Halifax International Security Forum last weekend, Eichelsheim remarked that since F-16s are already being made available, introducing additional aircraft, such as French or Swedish fighters, “doesn’t make sense” at this time. He noted French President Emmanuel Macron’s earlier comments indicating that France planned to send some of its Mirage fighters to Ukraine.
Eichelsheim advised focusing on the capabilities that Ukrainian forces already have. He stated, “It’s essential to get them operational on these aircraft, and to supply them with necessary weapons, funding, logistics, and available parts to ensure these aircraft can be used effectively.”
His comments clarified earlier statements made by Swedish Defense Minister Pål Jonson, who mentioned last week that Sweden was ready to donate Gripens to Ukraine but was advised against doing so. “The donation of the Gripens is not solely in our hands,” Jonson indicated, hinting that other members of the international coalition supporting Ukraine, primarily Denmark, the Netherlands, and the United States, preferred to ensure Ukraine is properly equipped with F-16s before introducing more complex aircraft.
Jonson added, “They have advised us to wait to donate the Gripens until the F-16 situation progresses further.”
The procurement of the fourth-generation F-16 fighters, which began in July, represents a significant enhancement in capability for Ukraine, which has primarily relied on outdated Soviet-era MiG-29 and Su-27 jets to combat Russia’s invasion. However, officials and experts have noted that these jets alone will not resolve the conflict.
Eichelsheim acknowledged that Ukraine’s armed forces have been “successful in utilizing the aircraft and are currently quite effective in maintaining them.” However, he highlighted the high demand for spare parts, stating that collaboration among nations is required to ensure a sufficient supply to keep the aircraft operational.
Earlier this month, Reuters reported that the White House lifted a de facto ban on American contractors working in Ukraine, a move that could significantly aid the complex maintenance of the F-16 fighters.
In the meantime, Eichelsheim commented positively on the performance of Ukrainian pilots, noting, „They do quite well with the F-16, perhaps even better than we anticipated.” He added, “They learn rapidly how to operate the aircraft and the new weapon systems that are being integrated.”
