Ukrainian pilots in several groups are undergoing training in allied nations to fly F-16 fighter jets, with two groups currently refining their skills on the aircraft, stated Illya Yevlash, spokesperson for the Ukrainian Air Force, during a Ukrainian TV telethon, as reported by Liga.
Yevlash reports that two Ukrainian pilot groups are refining their F-16 skills in Denmark and the USA, with another group transitioning from the UK to France for light aircraft training.
Yevlash stated that an additional group is receiving ground training in England, primarily focusing on language studies, as English proficiency is crucial for operating foreign aircraft.
Ukraine’s Air Force spokesman Yevlash also mentioned that Ukrainian F-16 technical personnel are being trained to eventually instruct their peers in Ukraine.
In January, Nataliia Halibarenko, Head of Ukraine’s Mission to NATO, stated that at the extraordinary meeting of the Ukraine-NATO Council, the Allies favorably evaluated the preparations for deploying F-16 fighter jets in the country.
F-16 expected in summer
The F-16 training coalition, formed on 11 July 2023, aims to train Ukrainian Air Force personnel. Initially comprising 11 nations including Denmark, the Netherlands, and the United Kingdom, the coalition has expanded to include Greece and the United States. A training hub was planned in Romania with contributions from the Netherlands and Lockheed Martin.
The United States approved the donation of F-16 fighters to Ukraine from Denmark and the Netherlands in August 2023. Belgium and Norway also announced intentions to donate F-16s. The first batch of 18 F-16s from the Netherlands might be delivered in the first half of 2024, with Ukraine set to receive the first F-16s in the summer of 2024.
In February, the Arizona National Guard reported that the first four Ukrainian pilots training in the US were set to finish their F-16 fighter jet training by summer, having started in mid-October, with twelve other airmen progressing in groups through August, according to CNN’s reporting.
Earlier Ukrainian Foreign Minister Dmytro Kuleba stated that Ukraine is expected to receive F-16 jets by mid-summer. This timeline slightly adjusts previous expectations of delivery in spring or early summer. Meanwhile, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy announced that new fighter jets would enter service in Ukrainian skies this year as part of a Netherlands-led F-16 coalition.
In early March, NYT stated Ukraine might deploy six of some 45 promised F-16 jets by July to counter Russian air support, as the country urgently needs more weapons amid a munitions shortage.
In an interview, NATO Secretary General Jens Stoltenberg said Ukrainian pilots of F-16 multirole fighter jets would have the right to strike legitimate military targets outside Ukraine, i.e. on Russian territory.
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