This was stated by Air Force Secretary Frank Kendall, reports CNN.
According to him, it will be at least "several months" before Ukraine can operate the F-16. And it is also necessary to work out a number of details before the Air Force of the Armed Forces of Ukraine will be able to use Western aircraft in large numbers.
"We are not under any circumstances going to get F-16s or another Western fighter in significant numbers into the hands of the Ukrainian Air Force in something less than at least several months,” Kendall said.
However, the US Air Force Secretary pointed out that this is still a relatively short period of time, since it usually takes more than 2 years to train a new American pilot to operate such an aircraft. Even a refresher course for an F-16 pilot who hasn't flown for a while can take up to 5 months. It is worth noting that publicly the US has argued for months that fighter jets are not at the top of the priority list, and will quickly deplete available funding for assistance to Ukraine instead of more important weapons such as Abrams tanks and Patriot missiles.
Kendall called the sudden turn of the US President Joe Biden's administration a decision that signaled it was time to start preparing the Ukrainian military for the future.
"Ukraine is going to remain an independent nation. It’s going to need a full suite of military capabilities for its requirements, and so it’s time to start thinking longer term about what that military might look like and what it will include," he said.
On May 21, US President Joe Biden approved the training of Ukrainians on the F-16. Volodymyr Zelenskyy assured that Ukraine will not use these aircraft to attack the territory of Russia.
Ukraine hopes to receive the first American F-16 fighters in the fall of 2023.