Latest news Ukraine

UK completes basic training for 200 Ukrainian future F-16 pilots

The latest graduation was attended by UK Armed Forces Minister Luke Pollard and Ukraine’s Ambassador Valerii Zaluzhnyi.

byYuri Zoria

24/10/2024

2 minute read

uk completes basic training 200 ukrainian future f-16 pilots who completed uk’s flight program

Ukrainian pilots who completed the UK’s basic flight training program. Photo: X/Royal Air Force

UK completes basic training for 200 Ukrainian future F-16 pilots

The United Kingdom has reached a significant milestone in its support for Ukraine’s Air Force capabilities, having trained 200 Ukrainian pilots through its Royal Air Force elementary flying program, UK Minister for the Armed Forces Luke Pollard MP announced on 22 October, adding that “These pilots will soon be flying Ukrainian F-16s.”

The UK training program includes basic flying instruction, ground school, and language training, as per earlier reports. Since Britain does not operate American-made F-16s, it focuses on providing initial flight training for young Ukrainian Air Force pilots.

The UK Royal Air Force (RAF) reports that the latest graduation ceremony was attended by UK Armed Forces Minister Luke Pollard and Ukrainian Ambassador to the, General Valerii Zaluzhnyi at RAF Cranwell.

UK Armed Forces Minister Luke Pollard and Ukrainian Ambassador to the UK, General Valerii Zaluzhnyi (seated in the center) with Ukrainian pilots who completed their basic training in Britain. Photo: Telegram/Вілерій Залужний

The program’s graduates will proceed to advanced “fast jet training and F-16 conversion with partner nations,” RAF says. Previous graduates from the British program continued their training on Dassault/Dornier Alpha Jet trainer aircraft in France.

https://twitter.com/LukePollard/status/1848806816253112815/

Ukrainian Ambassador Valerii Zaluzhnyi wrote on Telegram:

“I want to thank the British government and people once again for their constant support of Ukraine. It is thanks to this support that we continue to fight. Thanks to Great Britain, we have a chance for Victory.”

The Ukrainian Air Force selected the US-made F-16 fighter jet as its primary combat aircraft, set to gradually replace the aging fleet of Soviet-era MiG-29s. However, Ukraine will also receive a limited number of France’s Mirage 2000-5 jets, and has been in talks on the transfer of Eurofighter and Sweden’s Gripen fighters.

Ukraine urgently needs additional trained pilots, F-16s and other jets to repel Russian bombers and fighters near the front lines and bolster its air defenses, which are struggling under against Russian aerial assaults.

Related:

You could close this page. Or you could join our community and help us produce more materials like this. We keep our reporting open and accessible to everyone because we believe in the power of free information. This is why our small, cost-effective team depends on the support of readers like you to bring deliver timely news, quality analysis, and on-the-ground reports about Russia's war against Ukraine and Ukraine's struggle to build a democratic society. A little bit goes a long way: for as little as the cost of one cup of coffee a month, you can help build bridges between Ukraine and the rest of the world, plus become a co-creator and vote for topics we should cover next. Become a patron or see other ways to support. Become a Patron!

To suggest a correction or clarification, write to us here

You can also highlight the text and press Ctrl + Enter

We are an independent media outlet that relies solely on advertising revenue to sustain itself. We do not endorse or promote any products or services for financial gain. Therefore, we kindly ask for your support by disabling your ad blocker. Your assistance helps us continue providing quality content. Thank you!