Washington: According to the Pentagon, the US will begin training Ukrainian pilots to fly F-16 fighter jets in October at an Air National Guard base.
The training is a component of a US and European initiative to supply Ukraine with cutting-edge fighter jets for its defence against invading Russian forces. In a conversation with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky to mark Ukraine's Independence Day and to reaffirm support for the effort to repel Russian troops, President Joe Biden made the announcement.
When the F-16 training was brought up, Biden gave Zelensky the assurance that other countries would receive expedited approval to transfer their F-16s to Ukraine once the training was finished.
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Zelensky expressed gratitude to Biden, Congress, and "all Americans" in a post on X, the website that replaced Twitter. "The US took the lead in mobilising support for Ukraine on a global scale. Our fight was made possible by this crucial leadership, which also swung history in our favour.
US military officials emphasise that building up an F-16 squadron takes years of training, which limits the aircraft's immediate impact on Ukraine's defence. According to Brig. Gen. Pat Ryder, spokesman for the Pentagon, "This is about the long-term support to Ukraine." This has nothing to do with the current counteroffensive that they are waging.
At the Morris Air National Guard base in Tucson, Arizona, the training will be conducted. Starting next month, the pilots will first receive English instruction at Lackland Air Force Base in San Antonio, Texas, to improve their fluency to the standard required to fly the aircraft, according to Ryder.
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For a long time, Ukraine has pushed for American fighter jets to assist in protecting its cities and troops from Russian artillery and aviation. Recently, it was announced by Denmark, the Netherlands, and Norway that they would give Ukraine the aircraft.
To prevent delays in bringing Ukrainian pilots up to speed, Ryder said the US made the decision to participate in the training alongside its European allies. According to him, "a few" Ukrainian fighter pilots as well as numerous jet mechanics would receive training in the US.
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According to Ryder, training can take up to five months for seasoned pilots. He drew out courses that covered the fundamentals. They also cover formation flying, using weapons, air combat, and suppressing air defence systems, in addition to centrifuge training on the ground to prepare pilots for the high g of an F-16 cockpit.