Ukraine appears to lack sufficient pilots for F-16 fighter jets

There appear to be delays in training Ukrainian pilots on F-16 fighter jets. There is not enough capacity available.

Thomas Wanhofe/T Online

the Ukraine It is expected to soon receive F-16 fighter jets, which could give it a significant advantage in the field of air defense. Some pilots have already received training Denmark And the United States of America Behind you, the first planes will soon arrive. But it seems to be standing Kyiv Having a problem. The Western Allies promised 60 aircraft. But so far only 15 to 20 pilots have been trained. This appears to be because of the United States of America.

As the Kyiv Post and Politico reported, the United States is not in a position to train more Ukrainian pilots. They say there are 30 candidates, but the training center in Tuscon, USA, has reached the limits of its capabilities.

Pentagon spokesman Maj. Charlie Dietz told Politico that “dozens” of pilots from various countries are completing basic training and training on F-16s in the United States and Europe, but he declined to confirm the exact number.

The training center no longer has any free places

A former Pentagon member told Politico that by the end of the year, 20 Ukrainian F-16 pilots should be operational, half the number needed to staff a squadron of 40 aircraft.

Arizona National Guard public information officer Maj. Erin Hannigan told the newspaper that the 162nd Squadron trains 30 foreign pilots annually. When asked if it was possible to increase this number, she said that it was not possible. The question now is whether the United States knew how many troops it could actually train when it promised training capabilities.

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Volodymyr Zelensky (center) with Dutch Prime Minister Martin Rutte (right) in front of an F-16 fighter jet.Image: Cornerstone

The lack of training places is the reason for France’s initiative?

In addition, apparently Denmark and Romania They can’t accept any more pilots into their program, Politico reported. The training center in Denmark is due to close next year anyway, like the Danish one air forces Converted into F-35 aircraft.

Kyivpost author Jeffrey Fisher suspects that staff shortages are the reason for the deal France He was. president Emmanuel Macron Ukraine has been promised Mirage 2000 aircraft and training of pilots and maintenance personnel in six months.

There is still a long time to go before the delivery and deployment of the F-16 fighter jets. The Biden government was very hesitant about deliveries, and in May 2023 allowed other countries to make their planes available for the first time. Denmark, Norway And the Holland We want to send 60 planes to Ukraine this summer. These could, for example, help repel the Russian advance near Kharkiv.

American politicians urge the Pentagon

According to information from Politico, American politicians are urging the US Department of Defense to increase training capacity. Some representatives have written a letter of appeal, but it seems that has not been successful so far. According to the report, the US government indicated that it also has training obligations to other countries.

A few days ago, the Biden administration announced that it would prioritize some arms shipments to Ukraine and allow other partners to wait. Therefore, it cannot be ruled out that this is also possible during pilot training of Ukrainians.

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