July 31 (Reuters) -

The first batch of long-awaited F-16 jets have arrived in

Ukraine, Lithuania's foreign minister and a U.S. official said

on Wednesday, an effort Kyiv has said will help rebuild its

depleted air force.

F-16s, built by Lockheed Martin ( LMT ), have been on

Ukraine's wish list for a long time because of their destructive

power and global availability. The fighter jet is equipped with

a 20mm cannon and can carry bombs, rockets and missiles.

"F-16s in Ukraine. Another impossible thing turned out

to be totally possible," Lithuanian Foreign Minister Gabrielius

Landsbergis said on X, formerly known as Twitter.

A U.S. official, speaking on the condition of anonymity,

said the delivery had been complete.

Ukraine's Air Force did not immediately respond to Reuters

request for comment.

Denmark has committed to donate 19 jets in total, while

the Netherlands has promised to deliver 24 aircraft. Both

countries have been driving forces behind an international

coalition to supply Ukraine with F-16s. Norway has also said

that it would donate six F-16 fighter jets to Ukraine.

The pilots and ground staff have been trained by

Ukraine's Western partners for months.

The Ukrainian military has had to rely on a relatively

small fleet of Soviet-era jets as it has fought to hold back

Russia's full-scale February 2022 invasion. Ukrainian officials

see the addition of the F-16 as a vital upgrade for its Air

Force.

Analysts and officials say the F-16s will not alone

prove a turning point in the war, which began with Russia's

full-scale invasion in February 2022.