The government of Portugal has officially approved a decision to support Ukrainian pilots and provide critical intelligence assistance.
According to an announcement on the government’s official website, Portugal will allocate €21.45 million in aid. This support will help train and equip personnel from Ukraine’s Air Force as part of the international F-16 coalition, and will also provide Ukraine with valuable satellite-based intelligence.
Thus, the country has allocated €954,000 specifically for the training of Ukrainian F-16 fighter jet pilots as part of the international F-16 Air Force Capability Coalition, which operates under the Ukraine Defence Contact Group (UDCG) and is responsible for enhancing the capabilities of Ukraine’s air force.
Separately, €20.5 million will be allocated to provide Ukraine’s Defense Forces with satellite imagery, including optical satellite images and synthetic aperture radar (SAR) data.
It’s worth noting that Ukraine and Portugal have signed a bilateral security agreement that outlines cooperation in areas such as military training, arms transfers, intelligence sharing, technical assistance, and countering hostile propaganda.
Portugal has also supplied Ukraine with a significant amount of weaponry, including Leopard 2A6 tanks, SA-330 Puma and Ka-32 helicopters, M113 armored personnel carriers, mortars, and artillery systems. Additionally, Portugal has joined European initiatives for the production of ammunition and drones.
Beyond technical assistance, Portugal is actively involved in training Ukrainian soldiers as part of EU training missions, particularly EUMAM UA. Portuguese instructors participate in training sessions in Spain and Germany, sharing expertise in areas such as tactical medicine, combat training, and protection against chemical and biological threats.
Moreover, Portugal’s role in the F-16 coalition will become even more significant, as Norway has decided to relocate the training program for Ukrainian pilots on F-16 fighter jets from Denmark to Portugal.
Although Portugal does not plan to transfer its own F-16s to Ukraine due to a limited fleet of aircraft and uncertainty regarding the acquisition of their replacements, the country will provide the necessary infrastructure and environment for Ukrainian personnel to learn the specifics of F-16 operations.
Militarnyi previously reported that Portugal may send its military personnel to Ukraine as part of a European peacekeeping mission.
Nuno Melo, Portugal’s Minister of Defense, discussed this possibility. However, he noted that this could only happen under the condition of a ceasefire between the parties.
