Ukraine has designated a first group of pilots who will be trained to fly F-16 fighter jets, the Politico news site reported on Friday. It concerns eight pilots who speak the English language fluently.
Their training will begin once a formal training plan has been drawn up by a number of European allies and approved by the United States. When that will happen is still unclear.
This is what a US official and a person familiar with Ukrainian planning said. They were not allowed to comment officially on the matter, Politico continues.
The US official also said that 20 pilots who speak less English will continue language training in the UK this month. A total of 32 Ukrainian pilots have been designated to participate in the training program in principle. That’s enough for two squads, but English language skills remain a bottleneck, Politico writes.
A coalition of 11 NATO countries will teach Ukrainian pilots how to fly the US fighter jet. Much of the training is expected to take place in Denmark and Romania. The Biden administration is still awaiting a formal training proposal from European allies, but the US official said Washington is “hopeful” that the request will come within weeks.
US officials insist the F-16s are for the defense of Ukraine. The US government has repeatedly said it does not support Kyiv in launching attacks in Russia, according to Politico.
The Netherlands is sending F-16s to Romania for the training of Ukrainian pilots and will also help set up a training center in this country, said outgoing Defense Minister Kajsa Ollongren earlier at the NATO summit in Lithuania. (AP)
2023-08-05 01:18:16
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