US reduces estimated minimum training period for Ukrainian F-16 pilots

Defense Express reports this with reference to the director of the US Air National Guard, Michael Loh. Moreover, this official has all the information to speak not on the basis of assumptions, but on the basis of data, Defense Express points out.

In fact, two Ukrainian pilots were tested in February and March of this year on the US Air National Guard base. The Ukrainian pilots are expected to arrive at Morris Air National Guard Base in Tucson, Arizona, by October.

Speaking to reporters, Lt. Gen. Michael Loh said that some Ukrainian pilots who will soon arrive could complete the course in as little as three months, though less experienced pilots would need longer, according to Breaking Defense.

Photo: US Department of Defense

Lt. Gen. Michael Loh added that it will take three months to teach experienced pilots to effectively use the F-16 in combat. At the same time, the three-month period is the bare minimum for pilots with relevant combat experience and fluency in English.

“For the ones that are currently their fighter pilot cadre that are experienced, that are flying day-to-day sorties over there, that are defending their homeland — I think three months is absolutely realistic,” he said.

The training will become longer when the foreign language skills deteriorate or flying skills deteriorate, approaching the 9-month mark. This is the typical course length for cadets with basic flight training. Regardless of the length of the training, each pilot will totally master the machine.

As a result, the information about additional language courses lasting up to four months and a six-month training course that was unofficially reported in the Western media regarding the completion of the training of the first group of Ukrainian F-16 pilots may have been exaggerated.

Photo: US Department of Defense

"However, as the American general noted, the completion of the pilots' training does not mean that they will be ready for combat missions immediately. After completing their training in the United States, they have to arrive in Europe, and only then will they be allowed to fly combat missions in Ukraine," Defense Express writes. 

The US general also voiced an extremely important detail: Ukrainians will receive "priority training." This means that the training schedules of other pilots will most likely be somewhat reformatted specifically for Ukrainian pilots.