10/26/2026
Ukraine’s F-16s need American-controlled parts, software, and missiles to keep flying, and the Wall Street Journal reports more than half the fleet is currently stuck in “maintenance limbo” at a Belgian repair facility.
I trace exactly which choke points Washington still controls like parts, software, missiles, export licenses, and how much of the sustainment chain Denmark, the Netherlands, Norway, and Belgium could actually cover if that phone call ever comes.
This is the final video in my series of four videos asking whether the U.S. could “turn it off.”
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Glory to Ukraine. Glory to the heroes. Crimea is Ukraine.
- Chapters!
- 00:00 Can the U.S. Ground Ukraine’s F-16s?
- 01:26 Washington Becomes a Dependency Risk
- 02:23 Donating F-16s Was the Easy Part
- 02:49 Why Ukraine’s F-16s Matter More Than Ever
- 04:03 Ukraine’s F-16s Enter “Maintenance Limbo”
- 05:20 Who Is Keeping Ukraine’s F-16s Flying?
- 06:46 America’s Control Over the F-16 Supply Chain
- 08:24 How Fighter Jets Get Grounded Without Being Shot Down
- 09:10 Can Europe Keep the F-16s Flying Alone?
- 09:51 Ukraine’s Ammunition Problem
- 10:16 The American Missile Choke Point
- 10:50 Why Gripen Could Be Ukraine’s Way Out
- 11:48 Would Trump Actually Pull the F-16 Card?
- 12:34 Europe’s Love Affair With American Weapons
- 12:47 The Ukrainian Jet, Belgian Hangar, and American Parts