F-16 jets for Ukraine
The United States will begin training Ukrainian pilots to fly F-16 warplanes in October, as Norway joins other European countries pledging fighter jets to Kyiv.
The U.S. Department of Defense said recently that the training is expected to start in the fall in Arizona.
“The training provided by the United States will complement the F-16 pilot and maintenance training that’s already underway in Europe and further deepens our support for the F-16 Training Coalition led by Denmark and the Netherlands,” Pentagon Press Secretary Brigadier General Pat Ryder said.
Prior to starting their training on how to fly and maintain F-16 jets, Ukrainian forces will receive English language training in Texas, Ryder said. This is needed “given the complexities and the specialized English that’s required to fly these aircraft,” he added.
Ryder said it is not yet known how many Ukrainian pilots will participate in the training but he said the U.S. is expecting it will include “several pilots and dozens of maintainers.”
On Thursday, Norway’s Prime Minister Jonas Gahr Støre announced his country will join the Netherlands and Denmark in providing F-16 jets to Ukraine. Støre said more details on the “donation, numbers and time frame for delivery” will follow. “The donation of these F-16 jets will significantly strengthen Ukraine’s military capabilities,’ Norway’s Minister of Defense Bjørn Arild Gram added.
The Netherlands and Denmark announced last week that they would provide Ukraine with F-16 fighter jets, following approval from the U.S. allowing Ukrainian pilots to get training. The move was hailed by Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy, who spent months pressing the West to provide his forces with modern jets to repel Moscow’s full-scale invasion.
Denmark started training eight Ukrainian pilots to fly the jets this month, while an additional 65 personnel will be trained in maintaining and servicing the jets.
U.S. President Joe Biden endorsed training programs for Ukrainian pilots on F-16s in May. In addition to training in Denmark, a training center was to be set up in Romania.
Ukraine is increasingly looking to replace its jets as Russia continues to dominate the skies in the two countries’ 18-month-long war.
The British Royal Air Force estimates that Ukraine has lost 68 aircraft since the war began – 22 percent of its inventory.
Russia’s air force has taken advantage of its superiority in air defences and has been increasingly effective at stopping Ukrainian air attacks.
For every 15 Ukrainian aircraft, there are 100 Russian jets.
The F-16s will take months to arrive in Ukraine.
