US to arm Ukraine’s F-16 fighter jets with advanced weapons: Report

WASHINGTON

The US will arm dozens of F-16 fighter jets that are being sent to Ukraine with advanced weapons, the Wall Street Journal newspaper reported Tuesday.

A senior US official told the newspaper that the Pentagon will supply the F-16s with air-to-ground munitions, precision-guidance kits for bombs and advanced air-to-air missiles in sufficient quantities to meet Ukraine’s most urgent needs in its war against Russia.

"We are confident that we will be able to supply all of those [weapons], at least the critical volumes that they need," the official was quoted.

The Pentagon on Monday announced a security assistance package that includes air defense interceptors, munitions for rocket systems and artillery, and anti-tank weapons for Ukraine.

It includes up to $200 million of equipment drawn from the Pentagon’s inventories under the presidential drawdown authority and approximately $1.5 billion in assistance authorized under the Ukraine Security Assistance Initiative.

The package marks the 62nd drawdown of military equipment for Ukraine from the Pentagon’s inventories, and the US has provided more than $55.4 billion in security assistance to Ukraine since the war started in February 2022.