U.S. defense maker Lockheed Martin said it stands ready to help Ukrainian pilots fly and maintain its F-16 fighter jets if the NATO member agrees to send them to help Ukraine fend off Russian aggression.
Chief Operating Officer Frank St John said: “We are on standby not only to meet the needs that arise when new F-16s are built, but also to make any modifications to the F-16 as well as training, equipment and systems.”
He stressed that any decision could only be made after the outcome of discussions between Ukraine, the United States and other Western allies. Lockheed Martin, the largest U.S. defense contractor by sales, is not directly involved in government negotiations. St John said the company has historically provided training support to more than 16 countries.
Kiev has vigorously lobbied for so-called fourth-generation aircraft to help bolster its air defenses against Russian attacks. NATO countries are still negotiating whether to supply Ukraine with the jets.
The U.S. government, which controls re-export or third-party transfers of the jets from any country that operates them, is unlikely to send any of its own F-16s, but last month expressed support for the move. Some allies remain concerned that supplying the jets could lead to an escalation of the conflict with Russia.
St. John, who spoke on the eve of the first day paris air show The Ukrainian armed forces have shown an “incredible ability to learn” since Russia’s full-scale invasion of Ukraine nearly 16 months ago.
Lockheed’s weapons, including the Guided Multiple Launch Rocket System (GMLRS) and the Javelin missile, are prominent on the battlefield.
St. John said the Ukrainians “learned the use of these systems very quickly and used them very effectively, so I am very confident that Ukrainian pilots will master the F-16 and be able to use it very effectively in the short term.”
While any direct training and support will take place in a third country, in the longer term, Lockheed may consider establishing a base in or near Ukraine once the conflict is over.
“When these hostilities end, there has to be a continued training and maintenance presence, and then the logical place to be is in and around Ukraine,” St. John said.
There are approximately 3,000 F-16s in service worldwide. Lockheed plans to boost production of the jet at its Greenville, South Carolina-based facility to four a month over the next few years.
The firm expects demand for fixed-wing aircraft and helicopters to increase in Eastern Europe as governments in the region seek to move away from Soviet-era equipment.
“We are in conversations with different countries in Eastern Europe not only about their potential needs for equipment, but also about maintenance and training needs after that,” St. John said.
Lockheed also wants to expand its supply chain internationally. After decades of “just in time” production, the conflict in Ukraine has exposed slender military supply lines and often low national stocks.
It recently concluded an agreement with Rheinmetall under which the German company will Manufacturing Center Fuselage Used in advanced F-35 jet aircraft. Parts of the F-16 aircraft are already being built in Poland.
“Historically, the focus in the industry has been on finding efficiencies,” St John said. “But today’s new world realities highlight the need to improve agility and develop greater long-term resilience in U.S. and international supply chains.”
While it would increase costs for defense manufacturers, he said the new approach “opens the door to new industrial partnerships in Europe, the UK and beyond”.