Slovakia received the first two of the 14 new F-16 military jets from the United States at the Kuchyna air base in western Slovakia. The delivery was delayed two years due to the coronavirus pandemic and a lack of chips. President Peter Pellegrini praised the arrival, noting the jets will enhance the country’s defense capabilities. The $1.8 billion deal for the F-16 jets was signed in 2018 to replace Soviet-made MiG-29 jets.
The remaining F-16 jets will be delivered gradually over the next two years. Slovakia grounded its MiGs in 2022 due to a lack of spare parts and expertise after Russian technicians left following the invasion of Ukraine. Slovakia will be the second NATO member to give Ukraine its fleet of 13 MiG-29s to support the country against Russia’s invasion. Other NATO members have assisted in guarding Slovak air space.
The new government, led by Prime Minister Robert Fico, is against military support for Ukraine and EU sanctions on Russia. Fico’s administration has criticized the donation of jets to Ukraine and has threatened legal action. Pellegrini, a close ally of Fico, supports the donation of jets to Ukraine and military assistance.
