The US Air Force began training Ukrainian pilots to fly the F-16

The US Air Force has begun training Ukrainian pilots to fly F-16 fighter jets in Arizona. About this with reference to a statement from a representative of the Air Force writes Air & Space Forces Magazine.

Training of Ukrainian pilots began this week and will last several months. A “small number” of airmen have begun learning “the basics” with the Arizona Air National Guard’s 162nd Airlift Wing at Morris Air Base at Tucson International Airport.

The magazine notes that the 162nd Wing is the only unit tasked with training foreign pilots on the F-16, and has already trained pilots from 20 countries.

In August, Pentagon press secretary Patrick Ryder toldthat Ukrainian pilots will begin training to fly the F-16 in October at a military base in Arizona. In September, English courses were held for them.

October 11 US Secretary of Defense Lloyd Austin reportedthat Ukraine will receive the F-16 no earlier than the spring of 2024. At the same time, he noted that the training of Ukrainian pilots began in Europe, and the United States is also engaged in training.

In May, at the summit of the leaders of the G7 countries (USA, UK, Germany, France, Italy, Canada and Japan) in the Japanese city of Hiroshima, an agreement was announced to supply American-made fourth-generation F-16 fighters to Kiev. In August, Reuters reported that Washington had approved the supply of F-16s to Ukraine from Denmark and the Netherlands. US Secretary of State Antony Blinken said that Kyiv will be able to take advantage of “new opportunities” after pilot training is completed. 11 October Belgian Defense Minister Ludivine Dedonder statedthat Brussels will send several F-16s to Ukraine by 2025.