The pilots, who arrived in the United States in September, have completed a language training program at Lackland Air Force Base in Texas and will now transition to the Arizona base for specialized flight training.
The training regimen will initially familiarize the Ukrainian pilots with F-16 operations through classroom instruction and simulator experiences, before progressing to live flight training. The training schedule may be quickened to facilitate the pilots' timely return to Ukraine, if they needed to engage in military activities at home.
Previously, expectations in the US anticipated that the initial batch of Ukrainian pilots undergoing F-16 training could complete the program within a three-month timeframe, with combat mission deployment to follow at a later date.
US Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin announced the formation of a multinational coalition, spearheaded by the United States, Denmark, and the Netherlands, with the objective to train Ukrainian pilots and crews in both the operation and maintenance of F-16 fighter jets.
Austin indicated that the first F-16s are projected to be deployed to Ukraine in the spring of 2024 at the earliest.
(jh)
Source: PAP, Politico