Ukraine asks partners to expand F-16 pilot training
Kyiv is urging the United States and Europe to expand the F-16 training program for Ukrainian pilots, Politico reported on June 5.
According to the report, Ukraine is requesting immediate training of 30 pilots in the United States. However, Washington has made it clear that it is willing to train up to 12 Ukrainian pilots at a time.
Additionally, Denmark and Romania are experiencing similar issues regarding training constraints.
During a series of meetings and calls in recent weeks, Ukraine officially requested the United States to train additional pilots at the Morris Air National Guard Base in Tucson, Arizona. U.S. lawmakers have also been pressuring the administration to expand the training.
In response, Washington informed Ukrainian military officials that other countries are also in line for F-16 training, and the government cannot violate its commitments to these nations.
In line with the current plan, by the end of September, the U.S. National Guard plans to train 12 Ukrainian pilots at the Tucson base.
An unnamed former U.S. official said that at the current pace, Ukraine will not have a fully operational squadron of pilots by the end of 2025.
The military war may be swinging in our favor, but the information war continues.
Just as an army needs soldiers, so does a free society need its journalists to ensure that people have access to honest, trustworthy voices to understand the world around them.
For the past five years, The New Voice of Ukraine has been working tirelessly to push back against Russian narratives and defend democracy. But we cannot do it alone.
Please consider supporting us on Patreon for just $5 a month – your donation does directly to supporting journalists and ensuring that this front of the infowar says solid and defended.
Thank you.
Follow us on Twitter, Facebook and Google News
