Ukrainian pilots undergo training on F-16 in France - media

This is reported by BFM TV.

France doesn't currently plan to provide Ukraine with fighter jets, but is already involved in the training of ten Ukrainian pilots selected by its general staff. They are 20 to 22 years old. Six of them are still undergoing training in the United Kingdom to master English at the required level.

"New Ukrainian aviators will be trained in the same way as French air force and naval pilots, but twice as fast. Classes will be held on simulators. Before training on the F-16, pilots will have to fly 80 hours on the Alpha Jet," the statement says.

F-16 fighter jets for Ukraine

On May 21, US President Joe Biden approved the training of Ukrainians on F-16s. Volodymyr Zelenskyy assured that Ukraine would not use these aircraft to strike at Russian territory. 

Ukraine's Foreign Minister Dmytro Kuleba says that the first F-16 fighter jets are likely to fly in Ukraine's skies by the end of March 2024.

On August 17, the United States approved the shipment of F-16 multi-role fighters to Ukraine.

At the same time, Denmark said it would supply Ukraine with the aircraft if they were not used in Russia. 

The Netherlands will provide 42 fighter jets. At the same time, Norway will provide Ukraine with F-16s, but the exact number is unknown.

On September 15, Belgium joined the training of Ukrainian pilots on F-16s. Earlier, the Belgian Defense Ministry said it would not provide Ukraine with F-16 fighters because they are outdated and in poor condition. Such aircraft are dangerous to operate.

On October 11, Danish Defense Minister Troels Lund Poulsen said that the country would be able to deliver the first F-16s to Ukraine in March-April 2024.

On October 12, the media reported that the Netherlands would send F-16s to Romania, where Ukrainian pilots would begin training in a few weeks.

On October 26, Ukrainian pilots began flight training on F-16s at an air base in Arizona, USA

On November 1, the Pentagon said that the training in Arizona could last from 5 to 9 months.

In early January 2024, Pentagon spokesman Brigadier General Patrick Ryder said that Ukrainian pilots would complete training on F-16 fighter jets this year.

On February 8, Ambassador to the Netherlands Oleksandr Karasevych said that Ukraine would receive F-16 fighter jets from the Netherlands this year, but the exact date was not announced.

On February 17, on the sidelines of the Munich Security Conference, Dutch Prime Minister Mark Rutte said that the delivery of F-16 multi-role fighters to Ukraine was on schedule.

On February 21, it became known that the first group of four Ukrainian pilots plans to complete training on F-16 fighter jets by the summer of 2024.

On March 18, Romanian President Klaus Iohannis approved the training of Ukrainian pilots on F-16 fighter jets at the country's military base in Fătesti.

On March 22, it became known that the first 10 Ukrainian pilots had undergone basic training on F-16 fighter jets in the UK.