Everything on track for Ukraine to see its first F-16 operations this year – FM Kuleba
Nation19 January 2024, 11:48 AM
Ukraine expects to conduct its first sorties using F-16 aircraft later this year, Ukraine's Foreign Affairs Minister,
Dmytro Kuleba, said during a TV interview on Jan. 18.
"The F-16s' first aerial strike in Ukrainian airspace is on track,” he said. “Pilots are training. Engineers are preparing. Infrastructure is getting ready. The countries that promised F-16s are delivering as committed."
Preparation for the use of these fighter jets is a complex, multi-level process, he said.
"It's not just switching from one machine to another,” Kuleba said.
“Even the concept of air combat management changes. This transformation is a continuous process that, while time-consuming, remains on track. I believe this year we will witness the first aerial F-16 victories in Ukraine."