The Ukrainian Air Force has updated the start dates for training Ukrainian pilots on F-16 fighter jets. Presently, the focus is on the first group’s potential departure towards the end of summer.
“The end of summer serves as the starting point for the process of sending our first group of pilots. The training, for now, is planned to take place in Europe, including Denmark and possibly other countries equipped with facilities for training our specialists,” the spokesperson for the Ukrainian Air Force Colonel Yuriy Ignat said.
Read more: The US Has Not Made Yet an Important Decision to Start Training Ukrainian Pilots of F-16
It should be recalled that in mid-July, the Minister of Foreign Affairs, Dmytro Kuleba, announced that the start of training had been postponed from June, at least until August: “Training is expected to commence sometime in August, possibly at the beginning of September.”
Now, indications suggest that September is the final timeline. Nonetheless, the earlier set extensive training completion window remains unaffected – the first quarter of 2024.
As previously reported, the reasons for the delay are not political but rather organizational in nature. This is because there are simple issues related to the training centers’ capacity. Within the schedule of preparing pilots from the F-16 operator countries, the inclusion of Ukrainian pilots needed to be accommodated. This poses a considerable challenge, and it’s a global issue that Romania has previously encountered.
Yuriy Ignat also added highly significant information regarding the progress of the training. Specifically, all pilots will be grouped according to their experience. Ukrainian pilots with substantial flight hours and experience will undergo immediate training on the F-16 aircraft. On the other hand, younger aviators will initially undergo foundational training in countries like the United Kingdom.
It’s worth noting that even though the British Royal Air Force doesn’t operate the F-16 fighters, they are well-equipped to provide foundational training on jet-powered training aircraft. This training spans several months before the cadet takes the controls of an actual fighter jet.
Thus, it’s possible that the training period for experienced Ukrainian pilots might indeed be shorter than the comprehensive foundational program. This implies the potential for acquiring the first F-16 aircraft much sooner.
However, it’s important to consider that apart from the pilots themselves, the task of establishing the entire ground infrastructure for the new aircraft must be addressed in parallel. This includes addressing the needs of not just the pilots but also the technicians and support personnel.
Read more: Ukraine's Future F-16 Pilots Will Be Trained by Draken International Private Company in Romania
