The primary of 14 new F-16 fighter jets from america land in Slovakia

BRATISLAVA, Slovakia — Slovakia won on Monday the primary two of the 14 new F-16 army jets from the US whose supply was once driven again two years because of the coronavirus pandemic and a loss of chips.President Peter Pellegrini hailed the arriving of the F-16s on the Kuchyna air base in western Slovakia past due Monday through pronouncing the F-16s will “considerably give a contribution to the rise of protection features of our nation.”The remainder of the jets can be regularly delivered in two years.Pellegrini was once the high minister in 2018 when the federal government signed the $1.8 billion deal to buy 14 U.S. F-16 Block 70/72 fighter jets in a transfer intended to switch the out of date Soviet-made MiG-29 jets.Below the former govt, Slovakia grounded its MiGs in the summertime of 2022 because of a loss of spare portions and experience to lend a hand take care of them after Russian technicians returned house following Russia’s invasion of Ukraine.Final 12 months, the federal government authorized a plan to provide Ukraine its fleet of 13 MiG-29s, changing into the second one NATO member nation to heed the Ukrainian govt’s pleas for warplanes to lend a hand protect towards Russia’s invasion.Within the absence of its personal plane, fellow NATO participants Poland, the Czech Republic and later additionally Hungary have stepped in to protect Slovak air area.The brand new govt led through populist High Minister Robert Fico got here to energy final 12 months after profitable the parliamentary election following campaigning on an anti-American platform. It has condemned the donation of the jets to Ukraine and has threatened to sue.Fico opposes army strengthen for Ukraine and EU sanctions on Russia. Pellegrini’s his shut best friend.

Author: OpenAI