“F-16s are in Ukraine. We made it happen.”
These concise words of President Zelenskyy on 4 August symbolically coincided with the celebration day of the Ukrainian Air Forces and marked a significant development in the war against Russia.
Since the beginning of Russia’s full-scale invasion, Ukrainians have been urging the world to protect the sky over Ukraine and help safeguard civilian lives and infrastructure.
After years of negotiations, campaigns, and media discussions, the first ten American-made fighter jets finally reached Ukraine, becoming a crucial component of air defense against Russian missile and drone attacks on both military and civilians.
Securing and delivering F-16s to Ukraine was one part of the deal with Western partners that took over two years to accomplish. The other part meant finding pilots who would fly these jets.
Are Ukrainian pilots limited and inexperienced in F-16s?
Ukraine, currently at war with Russia, has battle-hardened pilots who fly Soviet-era Mig-29s and Sukhoi-27s, but this experience alone is insufficient for operating the more complex Western F-16s.
Transitioning to new fighter aircraft is inherently time-consuming, even for NATO countries with established partnerships and ready access to information.
Countries like Poland, Slovakia, Romania, and Bulgaria serve as examples. Their transitions to more advanced F-35s or F-16s are taking years, while Ukraine is attemptign this transition in just one year. One of the apparent reasons for this urgency is the existential threat posed by Russian troops invading Ukraine.
In addition to providing Ukraine with F-16s, the United States, the UK, Denmark, and the Netherlands have also agreed to train Ukrainian pilots for the intended 79 jets.
Developing expert pilots is a gradual process, typically taking 10-15 years to reach the highest level of proficiency. In Ukraine’s air force, many pilots are around 25-30 years old, which is considered relatively young in aviation. However, the war conditions are accelerating the experience-gaining process for these pilots.
Ukraine is finally starting to receive the promised F-16s, but while this appears positive for Ukraine, the nuances tell a different story.
79 jets won’t just magically appear in Ukraine immediately. Only 20 are expected to operate in the country by the end of 2024, which means approximately 20 pilots are currently training abroad.
Various Western media outlets have raised concerns about the small number of Ukrainian F-16 pilots, their relative inexperience, and delays by Ukrainian partners in delivering the jets and providing enough “training slots.” Moreover, there’s the looming danger over the hangars for F-16s in Ukraine, which Russia aims to destroy, forcing Ukrainians to devise new ways to secure the jets on the ground.
Each day of delays and slowness in Western decision-making and weapon deliveries claim the lives of Ukrainians. So, what could be a quick solution to make the best use of these newly-acquired F-16s?
Involve foreign pilots to fly F-16s in Ukraine
One possible answer has been voiced just recently, on 13 August, after US Senators Richard Blumenthal and Lindsey Graham visited Kyiv. Their visit came amid Ukraine’s surprise incursion into Russia’s Kursk Oblast, in which it captured dozens of villages and towns that might be traded for occupied Ukrainian territories.
The senators endorsed a plan to enlist retired NATO F-16 pilots to facilitate Ukraine’s ability to use these jets immediately while their own pilots’ training continues.
“Ukraine is already fielding units of freedom fighters on the ground, and this volunteer force should be replicated in the air,” Blumenthal and Graham stated in their press release.
This idea was earlier proposed by a few American war veterans, such as retired US Colonel Dan Hampton, who, in an interview with Voice of America, offered to defend Ukrainian skies, citing his expertise with F-16s and willingness to defend democracy.
Kursk’s incursion might alter allies’ decisions regarding Ukraine
“Hundreds, if not thousands,” of well-trained F-16 pilots could potentially volunteer for service in Ukraine, claimed Jeffrey Fisher, a retired US Air Force colonel with 30 years of military experience. He personally knows some Americans who are actively lobbying the US government to allow foreign pilots in Ukraine.
Countries worldwide have been operating F-16s for decades, including Belgium, the Netherlands, Denmark, Türkiye, Israel, Egypt, South Korea, Poland, and Romania. That’s why Fisher believes that a potential foreign pilots’ legion in Ukraine could be an international effort rather than just an American one.
However, the decision still lies in the hands of the US government and NATO allies. While the Biden administration was initially unreceptive to the idea, now they are at least willing to discuss the possibility, especially after the statements from the American senators.
This shift, Fisher believes, may be influenced by the recent Ukrainian incursion into Kursk, which challenged perceptions about Russia’s military strength and their defense of the border.
“Russia made claims that they were going to use nuclear weapons if even one Ukrainian stepped foot into traditional Russian land. We haven’t seen this happen,” Fisher emphasized.
Russia exaggerates its military capabilities
Russian propaganda exaggerates its air defense systems and fighter aircraft capabilities, which becomes clear after multiple instances of friendly fire and failures to hit intended targets. This overestimation, Fisher believes, could work to Ukraine’s advantage as F-16s enter the fray.
“There’s a lot of these false statements, threats, and narratives that have come out of Moscow,” he said.
He criticized the current pace of US aid to Ukraine, describing it as a “drip” and noting the restrictions placed on weapon usage, which hinders Ukraine’s ability to counter Russian forces effectively. Ukraine is not allowed to use Western-supplied weapons to strike deep inside Russia, but can only fire at the bordering oblasts, not exceeding the range of 80-100 km (49-62 miles).
However, if Ukrainians prove the effectiveness of the F-16s in the fight against Russia, this could potentially influence the pace and scale of further US support.
The West fears “escalation” with Russia
Mark J. Lindquist, a former US Air Force intelligence analyst at the National Security Agency and a current volunteer in Ukraine, also expressed his frustration that the American government is not doing enough to support Ukraine.
Their hesitation stems from fear of Russian “escalation,” Lindquist claims. However, he dismisses Putin’s “red lines” as empty threats, noting that Ukraine has already crossed them multiple times without significant consequences.
Air superiority is crucial in warfare
Lindquist criticizes the Western allies for not providing Ukraine with sufficient means to achieve air superiority, which he considers crucial in modern warfare.
“If you engage in warfare and don’t have air superiority, you can’t win. That’s what Ukraine has been asking for since the very beginning. Remember the campaign ‘Close the skies, not your eyes’?” Lindquist asked.
The eventual arrival of F-16s is unlikely to change the course of the war drastically, but they will still enhance Ukrainian air defense. Considering the reluctance to allow experienced foreign pilots to fly them immediately in Ukraine, the question remains how quickly and efficiently this can happen.
Grassroots campaigns may help bring foreign pilots to Ukraine
To address this issue, Lindquist proposes a grassroots campaign to pressure the US government. He draws parallels to previous public campaigns that influenced policy decisions, such as the push for F-16s for Ukraine, which finally yielded results.
“So stories like this, more campaigns on social media, more interviews, making this the issue of the day before Biden leaves office, I think is a great campaign,” Lindquist said.
If major US newspapers like the Washington Post and the New York Times were to announce opportunities for American veteran pilots to fly F-16s in Ukraine against Russian forces, there would be more than enough volunteers to form 12 squadrons, according to Lindquist.
“I believe that the cause of freedom is one that all American veterans still would give their lives to defend,” he shared.
He also argues that President Biden, not seeking re-election, has a unique opportunity to take bolder actions against Putin without worrying about electoral consequences.
These proposed actions include:
- Allowing American veteran pilots to fly in Ukraine.
- Permitting US military contractors to make repairs in Ukraine.
- Giving Ukraine the green light to use American-made weapons for strikes deep within Russian territory.
Lindquist suggests that a rallying public opinion could remind Biden that his legacy will be judged by his actions in this war, urging him to seize this opportunity to make a substantial impact as he concludes his presidency.
Ukraine needs a whole unit of foreign pilots, not just separate individuals
However, Tetiana Shevchuk, advocacy manager at the International Center for Ukrainian Victory (ICUV), considers allowing foreign pilots in Ukraine a very unlikely scenario.
Having been one of the ardent advocates for delivering F-16s to Ukraine, she knows all the complexities of this topic. She believes bringing foreign pilots is primarily a media and military expert discussion, with significant political and financial obstacles.
Commenting on the public statements in the media of a couple of American veteran pilots, she sees no point in recruiting one or two foreign individuals, considering all the bureaucratic challenges and the fact that they wouldn’t significantly impact the situation.
“We need either a whole detachment with pilots or nothing…There has to be some comprehensive solution, for example, hiring some private military company that will provide its pilots,“ Shevchuk said.
Obstacles to allowing foreign F-16 pilots in Ukraine
While Ukrainian law permits foreigners to join its armed forces, including the Air Force, the main obstacle lies with the pilots’ home countries.
These nations must authorize their citizens to join Ukraine’s military, a complex political decision, considering Russia’s continuous threats of “crossing the red lines” and fighting “against NATO.” Ukrainian allies fear the escalation with Russia and its potential resort to nuclear weapons. This makes allies hesitant to send even a small number of personnel to Ukraine.
“Pilots are not infantry; you can’t just take a gun like an infantryman and perform tasks. A pilot must have appropriate clearances; for example, if a person hasn’t flown for six months, they already need to go through training again. This military veteran can’t secretly jump into our plane and say, ‘I’ll fly because I once flew an F-16,'” Shevchuk said.
This process also often risks pilots losing their pensions and benefits in their home countries, as it may be considered mercenary work. Furthermore, Ukraine’s military salaries are much lower than those in NATO countries, raising questions about compensation and benefits for foreign pilots.
Ukraine needs to develop and strengthen its own aviation
Tetiana argues that it is more important for Ukraine to develop its aviation capabilities and train its pilots rather than rely on foreigners. This approach ensures long-term sustainability and addresses the existential nature of the war for Ukraine, which differs from the motivations of potential foreign volunteers, who might be just “adrenaline junkies.”
“For us, this is a question of survival, so it’s a completely different motivation for our warriors, compared to foreigners,” she said.
She believes that at this stage, retraining older foreign veterans could be less efficient than focusing on young Ukrainian pilots who are already part of the system and deeply invested in the country’s future.
“The political decision would be ideal if they sent us a squadron of NATO pilots at the first stage of negotiations. Foreigners would control our planes while Ukrainians would be learning and exchanging experiences. It would be awesome,” she said.
While these discussions continue, Russian occupation authorities reported seeing the first F-16s in the sky over Kakhovka in the annexed part of Kherson oblast, southern Ukraine.
Two years ago, having F-16s fly in Ukraine was just a proposal, a goal that sounded too ambitious and unrealistic but has proven possible. Seeing foreign pilots in Ukraine can also be hard to imagine now, but the recent announcements of the American senators and numerous advocates for this proposal among foreign war veterans leave room for hope and possibility.
Related:
- Politico: US weighs giving Ukraine JASSM missiles for F-16s
- US Senators Blumenthal and Graham endorse retired NATO F-16 pilots for Ukraine’s Air Force
- Ukraine’s air defense to reach new heights with F-16 fighter jets, says US expert
- F-16 delivery doesn’t change US restrictions on strikes deep inside Russia
