F-16 Fighter Jets for Spare Parts Use in Ukraine
**F-16 fighter jets designated for scrapping were recently sent to Ukraine, where they will be utilized for spare parts.** Reports have emerged that these non-operational jets, once destined for the junkyard, are now being donated to Ukraine to assist in sustaining the fleet of F-16s previously provided by European nations. This information was corroborated by the U.S. Air Force after images surfaced showing partially disassembled F-16s being loaded onto an Antonov An-124 cargo plane in Arizona.
Flight tracking data has confirmed that this cargo plane made its way to Poland after departing Arizona. According to a spokesperson for the U.S. Air Force, the aircraft being delivered are no longer functional and have been retired from active duty, thus highlighting their role as a source of critical spare parts, such as engines and radars, for other F-16s in operation. The F-16s in question lack essential components, which emphasizes their intended purpose as a resource rather than for direct combat.
Images began circulating last week depicting at least three disassembled F-16s lacking vital parts like wings and engines being loaded at Tucson International Airport. Public flight tracking indicates that the An-124 landed at this airport on April 25 and subsequently took off on April 26, bound for Rzeszów-Jasionka Airport in southeastern Poland, which functions as a major transit route for military supplies headed to Ukraine.
While the specific variants of the delivered F-16s are not precisely identifiable due to their covered condition, visible IFF antennas suggest that they could be Block 15 models that were previously operated by the U.S. Air National Guard. According to inventory records from last autumn, the Pentagon’s aircraft scrap yard included 150 F-16A units, 27 F-16B units, 143 F-16C units, and 22 F-16D units.
Concerns around a shortage of spare parts have previously hampered additional fighter jet deliveries from European partners, with the Belgian Ministry of Defense indicating that limited stocks of spare parts have delayed the promised F-16 deliveries to Belgium. Moreover, the wear and tear affecting the operational Ukrainian F-16 fleet adds to the urgency of these spare parts, though the newly delivered jets will not increase Ukraine’s active number of F-16s. Rather, they will significantly aid in sustaining those already in use.
