May 23, 2023 · The European Union’s foreign policy chief says that the U.S. green light to allow Ukrainian pilots get training to fly F-16s has created an inexorable momentum that will inevitably bring the fighter jets to the Ukrainian battlefield. NATO Secretary-General Jens Stoltenberg confirmed that the training decision was the exact thrust necessary toward making the jets available to Ukraine. Poland
Nov 21, 2023 · Full training for an F-16 pilot can take years. However, Ukrainian military pilots are currently undergoing an accelerated training course, which takes about six months for them to master the machine.
The F-16, however, had been considered for transition prior to the accident. In rebuilding the Thunderbird Team, the Air Force recruited previous Thunderbird pilots, qualified each in the F-16A, and had them begin by flying "two-ship" maneuvers, then expanded the program one airplane at a time up to the full six airplanes.
He also said that the U.S. had “not begun training (Ukrainian pilots) with the F-16s” and that the lead time for F-16 delivery is “essentially the same” as the training lead time, about 18 months, for upgraded secondhand aircraft.
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