Speaking at a NATO public forum in Washington on Wednesday, U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken said that the delivery was part of an upcoming “robust package” and that the combat aircraft would be in action as early as this summer.

He added: “Those jets will be flying in the skies of Ukraine this summer to make sure that Ukraine continues to effectively defend itself against Russian aggression.”

A joint statement from leaders of the US, the Netherlands and Denmark added: “We are committed to further enhancing Ukraine’s air capabilities, which will include squadrons of modern fourth-generation F-16 multi-role aircraft.

“The coalition intends to support their sustainment and armament, as well as further associated training for pilots to enhance operational effectiveness.”

The delivery will bring Ukraine’s total number of F-16s to 79, with six from Norway, 19 from Denmark, 24 from the Netherlands and 30 from Belgium.

The Dutch government also announced on Wednesday that it would provide Ukraine with additional ammunition for the jets worth €300 million in total.

It added that the latest pledge is on top of the €150 million worth of ammo it has already promised to deliver.

The news comes on the second day of NATO’s summit in Washington, where alliance chief Jens Stoltenberg said on Tuesday the organization would strengthen its support for Ukraine by providing at least €40 billion worth of security assistance and a new alliance military command in Germany.