Ukraine likely won’t have full F-16 squadron until spring or summer 2025 - WSJ
The United States is refocusing the training of Ukrainian F-16 fighter pilots on young cadets rather than experienced military personnel, and this decision could extend by many months the timeline for Kyiv to receive a full squadron of Western-made aircraft ready for combat operations. We are talking about 20 planes and 40 pilots.
This is reported by Censor.NET with reference to The Wall Street Journal.
As noted, US representatives explain that such a decision was made due to the lack of experienced Ukrainian pilots with knowledge of the English language.
Some officials also said the U.S. believed younger cadets would be more open to Western training.
Training of Ukrainian pilots takes place in three different places: at the Morris base in the American state of Arizona, at the Danish military air base in Skridstrup, which was recently closed, and in Romania.
The WSJ writes that so far a dozen pilots have completed the course, 11 of them are currently flying in Ukraine. Another eight experienced pilots are currently completing their training in Arizona and will arrive in Ukraine in early 2025.
According to a Western official, some pilots who began training in Denmark did not complete the program.
Also, eight Ukrainian cadets, who last year learned basic flight skills on the Alpha Jets jet training aircraft in France, started training on the F-16 in Romania last month.
Sources familiar with the matter say Ukraine is unlikely to have a full squadron of F-16s (20 aircraft and 40 pilots to fly them) until next spring or summer at the latest.
It will be recalled that in mid-September it was reported that a group of Ukrainian pilots had begun theoretical training on F-16 fighters in Romania, and by the end of 2024 they could proceed to practical training.
