The Pentagon has disclosed new details on the training of Ukrainian pilots and maintenance personnel in the United States, as Ukraine prepares to receive F-16s in 2024.
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 A US F-16 Multirole fighter during a mission  (Picture source: US DoD)

According to Air & Space Forces, four Ukrainian pilots are undergoing F-16 training in the United States. This training is taking place at the Morris Air National Guard Base in Tucson, Arizona, under the supervision of the 162nd Wing, the specialized unit of the US Air Force for F-16 training for foreigners.

Meanwhile, several other pilots are taking English courses. About 20 maintenance technicians are also receiving English language training at the Joint Base in San Antonio, Texas, for the coming months.

These new details come after statements by Celeste Wallander, Assistant Secretary of Defense for International Security Affairs, confirming that the training of Ukrainian pilots on F-16s is on track. She made this announcement following a virtual meeting of the Ukraine Defense Contact Group, which brings together over 50 countries coordinating military aid to Ukraine.

"Our goal is to provide Ukraine with an initial operational capability for its F-16 program in 2024, which would include trained pilots, aircraft, as well as trained technicians and maintenance agents, infrastructure, spare parts, and ammunition," Wallander told reporters at the Pentagon on January 23.

The F-16 initiative is managed by an Air Force Coalition within the Ukraine Defense Contact Group. Although the U.S. government must approve any transfer of F-16s, the Biden administration does not plan to provide its F-16s, although it supports the initiative.

The training at Morris includes a six-month basic course, designed to train foreign and American pilots, already experienced with other combat jets, in the fundamentals necessary for transitioning to the F-16. This is the course currently being taken by the Ukrainian pilots. The 162nd Wing has been training foreign pilots for decades, with pilots from more than two dozen countries passing through Tucson to learn how to pilot one of the most successful multi-role fighters in history. The Ukrainian pilots began their training in Tucson at the end of October. The Pentagon previously estimated that the training would last five to nine months, depending on the individual skills of the pilots.

Training efforts in Europe are led by Denmark, which began training eight Ukrainian pilots and more than 60 technicians in August. Six additional pilots were sent to Denmark after undergoing aviation-specific English training and spending time in Royal Air Force training aircraft - which do not use F-16s - to learn NATO-standard flying techniques, as announced by the UK Ministry of Defense at the end of December. The UK MOD also mentioned that many Ukrainian aircraft technicians are receiving English language training tailored to engineering.

Although Ukraine has many experienced pilots, they must also adapt to Western air doctrine to effectively use the F-16s, which are single-seat, single-engine aircraft with a complex hands-on throttle-and-stick (HOTAS) system featuring switches and buttons on the flight control to perform all the functions of the F-16.

In Tucson, extensive simulator training precedes actual flight training. Generally, three-quarters of the aerial training is solo in single-seat F-16Cs, with initial sessions in dual-seat F-16Ds accompanied by an instructor. Pilots need about 90 hours of flight to master all the skills of the basic course. However, the training model for Ukrainian pilots is flexible, particularly due to simultaneous training on multiple continents.

The F-16 Fighting Falcon is a versatile combat aircraft, primarily designed for air superiority. It is an aircraft originating from the United States, initially developed by General Dynamics between 1974 and 1993 before Lockheed Corporation took over from 1993 to 1995, and finally, Lockheed Martin became the manufacturer in 1995.

The F-16 made its first flight on January 20, 1974, although this flight was unplanned, followed by its official first flight on February 2, 1974. It was introduced into the arsenal of the U.S. military on August 17, 1978, and remains in service to this day. The F-16 is mainly used by the U.S. Air Force, but has also been adopted by 25 other users worldwide.

The production of the F-16 began in 1973 and continued until 2017, before resuming in 2019. To date, more than 4,600 units have been built, making this aircraft one of the most produced fighters in the world. The F-16 is renowned for its versatility, capable of conducting air combat missions as well as ground operations.