‘Green light’ from Pentagon: when F-16s may appear in Ukrainian skies

Serhiy Zgurets, director of the Defense Express information and consulting company, told Espreso.

"For some time, the Pentagon has been delaying the decision, which, as I understand it, involved the transfer of certain documents and decisions to start training Ukrainian pilots. Two countries - the Netherlands and Denmark - will be the leaders in training Ukrainian personnel. The first eight pilots have already been selected, plus 20 in the second echelon. The second echelon begins training with the language component, and there will also be a question of technical preparation. In any case, we understand that even with the accelerated training regime, it will take at least six months," he said.

According to Zgurets, if the pace of preparation coincides with the pace of preparation for the aircraft handover, the most optimistic figures are for the first quarter of 2024.

"Then the first aircraft for limited missions may appear in the Ukrainian sky. If there are any delays, it will be a little later. Everyone understands the enormous importance of aviation for Ukraine's security and defense needs and offensive actions. Whenever these planes appear, they will still be extremely needed. We are saying that at first they may transfer a squadron (12-16 aircraft), and then up to three squadrons - up to 50 aircraft or more," the expert summarized.

F-16 fighters 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.

• Defense Ministry adviser Yuriy Sak said that Ukraine hopes to receive the first modern American F-16 fighters in the fall of 2023.

• On May 25, at a meeting in the Ramstein format, it was announced that the coalition to train the Ukrainian Armed Forces with F-16s would be led by Denmark and the Netherlands and would include four other countries: Norway, Belgium, Portugal, and Poland. 

• On June 14, one of the leaders of the "aviation coalition," the Netherlands, announced that training of Ukrainian pilots on F-16s would begin in the coming months.

• On June 15, following the Ramstein meeting, Stoltenberg said that training on the F-16 had already begun. Pentagon chief Lloyd Austin noted the rapid progress in this area, and a spokesman for the Ukrainian Air Force said that they wanted a quick result, but that "the process is delayed."

• The same day, it was reported that Denmark and the Netherlands plan to start training Ukrainian pilots this summer and will establish a training center in an Eastern European NATO country.

• Following the Ramstein meeting, Ukrainian Defense Minister Reznikov expressed confidence that we would have a "bird coalition."

• According to a Politico source, a coalition of Western countries is considering Romania as a place to train Ukrainian pilots on F-16s.

• On June 22, Denmark requested assistance from the United States to train Ukrainian pilots in the use of F-16 fighters.

• On June 26, Acting Defense Minister of Denmark, Troels Lund Poulsen, announced the commencement of training for pilots from Ukraine on Western F-16 fighter jets.

• On July 1, President Zelenskyy mentioned that the schedule for training Ukrainian pilots on Western F-16 fighter jets has not been finalized yet, and some foreign partners are causing delays.

• On July 6, media reported that Romania would become a base for training Ukrainian pilots to fly F-16s.

• On July 7, Czech Prime Minister Petr Fiala announced at a joint press conference with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy in Prague that the country will supply helicopters and train pilots to fly F-16s.

• On July 11, Ukraine agreed to train Ukrainian pilots to fly F-16 combat aircraft with France. On the same day, Ukraine signed a memorandum with 11 partner countries to create a coalition to train pilots on F-16 fighter jets.

• 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.

• Also on July 15, European countries which had promised to start training Ukrainian pilots on F-16s said they were still waiting for the United States to officially approve the program.

• On Sunday, July 16, US National Security Advisor Jake Sullivan said that the US would not postpone training Ukrainian pilots on F-16 fighter jets, and Biden allowed European countries to start training.

• On July 22, Sullivan also said that Ukrainian pilots would begin training on F-16s in the next few weeks.On August 2, Zelenskyy confirmed that training for Ukrainian pilots on F-16s would begin in August.

• Later, the first group of eight Ukrainian pilots was selected to take part in training on F-16s, and another 20 will first improve their English.