The Air Force of Ukraine responded to incorrect media reports regarding the "sending" of pilots for training on F-16 fighters. Yuriy Ignat, the spokesman of the PS, said that they are still waiting for it.
He said this on the air of the telethon on Monday, July 17.
Ignat reminded that the training of Ukrainian pilots will be long-term — it will take place in groups.
"The first group of pilots is the first wave that will go for retraining, then the second and so on. These are the pilots who will already undergo direct training with instructors in various countries that have provided us with sites. We are talking about dozens. We are waiting for the first group to leave, the second will follow," Ignat said.
He added that the technical staff will also undergo training, but the program will be different from that of the pilots.
The day before, the White House announced that US President Joe Biden "gave the green light" for training Ukrainians on Western fighter jets. According to his national security adviser Jake Sullivan, training in the EU countries can start in two weeks.
Earlier, NATO Secretary General Jens Stoltenberg said that Ukraine's allies will individually determine when to start training Ukrainian pilots on the F-16.
At the NATO summit in Vilnius, Ukrainian Defense Minister Oleksiy Reznikov signed a memorandum with 11 colleagues on the creation of a coalition for the training of F-16 fighter pilots. It is also possible to include in the program other types of fighters, not just the F-16.
In addition to Ukraine, the coalition included: Great Britain, the Netherlands, Denmark, Belgium, Canada, Luxembourg, Norway, Poland, Portugal, Romania and Sweden.
Romania announced on July 6 that it is opening a regional training center for F-16 fighter pilots that will be available to its NATO allies and partners, including Ukraine.
On Wednesday, July 12, the Minister of Defense of the Netherlands, Karin Hildur, said at a NATO public forum that the training of Ukrainian pilots on the F-16 could take approximately 6-8 months.
