Denmark and the Netherlands announced last month that they would supply U.S.-made fighter jets to Ukraine
According to Gen. David Allvin, deputy chief of staff of the Ukrainian Air Force, training in the United States for Ukrainian pilots selected to operate the F-16 fighter jets promised to Kiev by some Western countries would take between six and nine months. USA
“Typically, the course they will complete lasts six months. So if they were to start next month or so, they would finish it in.” early spring” the official told the Senate Armed Services Committee.
At the same time, Allvin, who was nominated for the position of Chief of General Staff, specified that this was the basic course, as there were “certain peculiarities” in the aircraft provided by Denmark and the Netherlands that would require the completion of a “little addition“.
“I guess it would take time to fly and track the F-16 between six and nine months“, he estimated.
When asked by Democratic Senator Richard Blumenthal whether the training period could be shortened, he assured that once the required level was reached, the instructors would no longer stop the Ukrainian pilots and “If it takes less time, even better.“.
Denmark and the Netherlands agreed in August to supply the Ukrainian Air Force with F-16 fighters to defend against Russian troops. The deliveries will take place once the training of Ukrainian pilots is completed in accordance with agreements with the USA.
At the end of August, Pentagon press secretary Patrick Ryder announced this October Washington will conduct flight training for Ukrainian pilots in operating F-16 aircraft this year Morris Air National Guard Base in Tucson, Arizona. Before training, airmen must take English courses.
At that time, the then Defense Minister of Ukraine, Alexei Reznikov, said that the use of the F-16 fighter jets was a “important turning point” in the conflict and “would end Russia’s dominance in the skies.”
They will “burn” like Leopard tanks.
For his part, Russian President Vladimir Putin said in June that the F-16 fighter jets that the West is supplying to Kiev “will burn” like German tanks leopard.
Russia has more than once condemned the supply of Western weapons to Kiev. Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov said in July that Moscow would consider the supply of F-16 fighter jets to Kiev as a nuclear threat because his country had not done so “Can’t ignore it the ability of these aircraft to carry nuclear weapons“.
