At end of summer, training of Ukrainian pilots on F-16 will begin, it will not be long-term, - Ihnat
At the end of the summer, Ukrainian pilots will go to training on Western F-16 fighter jets.
The spokesman of the Air Force Yurii Ihnat said this during the briefing, Censor.NET reports.
"We are aiming for the end of the summer when the sending of pilots to European countries for serious training will begin.
And therefore it is necessary to understand that it will not be as quick, but it will not be as long-lasting as the Russians hope. "I think our pilots will quickly learn the F-16 training program just as quickly as they mastered the Patriot," he said.
According to Ignat, pilots need up to six months to master the F-16.
"Not only to learn to fly on it, but also to use all types of weapons, and there are dozens of nomenclature of weapons. Thus, pilots who were sent to the USA and there underwent an evaluation course...Their capabilities were evaluated, how quickly they adapt to the new system, the transition from Soviet to Western requires a change in perception. Optimistic forecasts were made, which could be up to 4 months. Everything will be shown in practice, each pilot has his own individual training, his abilities for this or that weapon," added the spokesman of the Air Force.
It will be recalled that President Zelenskyy previously announced that the training of Ukrainian pilots on the F-16 will begin this month.
