Ukraine has secured long-sought F-16 fighter jets, but will face a familiar challenge of training its troops to handle a sophisticated new weapon with demanding maintenance requirements, experts say.
The commitment of F-16s by the Netherlands and Denmark, with the authorization of Washington, signifies a major political and diplomatic triumph for Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy, who had previously convinced his Western allies to supply heavy tanks and missiles.
But even though the jets will bring new capabilities to Ukraine's war effort, they also increase the complexity of managing a conflict where aviation has yet to take center stage in battles.