Ukrainian pilots are set to undergo F-16 fighter jet training by the United States starting in October in a move aimed at bolstering Ukraine’s long-term defense capabilities.
This effort is part of an international collaboration to strengthen Ukraine’s defense forces. The Netherlands and Denmark have pledged to provide F-16 fighter jets from their own fleets to Ukraine. Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy had been pressing the West to provide his country with modern jets to repel the Russian invasion.
“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 Air Force Brigadier General Pat Ryder said.
In a recent letter to European counterparts, U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken indicated the United States’ support for third-party transfer of the American-made F-16s to Ukraine. National Security Advisor Jake Sullivan highlighted that U.S. approval for the transfer will follow discussions with Congress and the completion of training for Ukrainian pilots on the F-16 aircraft.
When will the training begin?
The U.S. Department of Defense announced that the training program is scheduled to commence in October at the Morris Air National Guard Base located in Tucson, Arizona. The Air National Guard’s 162nd Wing will oversee the training sessions.
The training plan takes into account potential training capacity limitations in Europe, ensuring a seamless and expedited deployment of the aircraft to Ukraine. The exact number of pilots to be trained will be determined by Ukraine itself.
F-16 Training process for Ukrainian pilots
Ryder said the complete training pipeline is expected to last several months, varying based on pilots’ prior experience. Training modules encompass a wide range of subjects, including basic flight techniques, fighter tactics, weapon deployment, combat maneuvers, and tactical intercepts.
The duration of training will be tailored to individual pilot skill levels. For less experienced pilots, the program may take around eight months, while more seasoned aviators could complete it in about five months.
Apart from flight training, comprehensive logistics and maintenance training will be provided to ground support personnel to ensure the combat readiness of the F-16s. Prior to flight training, pilots will undergo language instruction at Lackland Air Force Base in San Antonio, Texas, starting in September 2023. The language training will equip pilots with the necessary linguistic skills needed to comprehend the “complexities and specialized English required to fly the aircraft.”
The announcement reaffirms the unwavering support of the United States for Ukraine in its defense against Russia’s unwarranted aggression. U.S. Secretary of Defense Lloyd Austin underscored this commitment on Ukraine’s 32nd independence anniversary when he said: “We will support Ukraine for as long as it takes in its fight for its security and freedom.”
Challenges
Ukraine has long coveted the U.S.-made jet to strengthen its air capabilities in the conflict with Russia’s more advanced air force. However, Justin Bronk, a senior research fellow at the Royal United Services Institute, emphasized that despite the benefits of the F-16, it is a “complex aircraft” which would require years of training. This could also lead Ukraine to heavily relying on “civilian contractors to supervise and provide on-the-job training to Ukrainian maintainers in-country, even after months of initial training.”
The F-16 multirole fighter jet is built by Lockheed Martin for the U.S. Air Force (USAF). It comes with a price tag of about $63 million and boasts speeds of up to 1,500 mph.
