The United States has decided to refocus its F-16 training program for Ukraine on younger cadets rather than experienced air force members, a move that could potentially extend the timeline for deploying a full squadron to the battlefield by several months, according to WSJ.
Unnamed US officials told WSJ, this shift in strategy is primarily due to a lack of experienced Ukrainian pilots with the necessary English language skills who can be spared from active duty. Some officials also suggested that younger cadets might be more receptive to Western-style instruction.
The training program, which has been ongoing for the past year, has been conducted at three locations: Morris Air National Guard Base in Arizona, the recently closed Danish military air base in Skrydstrup, and the newly opened Fetești Training Center in Romania. So far, twelve pilots have completed the course, with eleven currently flying in Ukraine.
A senior Pentagon official stated,
“It is a mix. Some have been experienced pilots, and we still are receiving more experienced pilots. But there’s also those that do not have that kind of pilot training and experience.”
The decision to include more cadets in the program means that these rookies must spend a year learning basic flight skills in the UK and France before moving on to the F-16 course in Arizona and Romania. This extended timeline could push the deployment of a full F-16 squadron – consisting of 20 planes and 40 pilots – to spring or summer 2025 at the earliest, WSJ notes.
The training course has come under scrutiny following a fatal crash in August, which claimed the life of one of Ukraine’s top fighter pilots on the first day Ukraine used F-16s in combat. This incident raised questions about the adequacy of the accelerated training program.
According to WSJ, President Biden announced last month that the US would expand the number of positions in the program from 12 to 18 total in Arizona and Romania, set to take effect next year.
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