Training is set to take place in October after pilots learn the needed English for operations.
Pentagon Press Secretary Brigadier General Pat Ryder announced that the Department of Defense (DoD) will begin training Ukrainian pilots and ground teams to fly and maintain F-16 fighter jets in October, hosting them for several months at the Morris Air National Guard Base in Tucson, Arizona.
Though the United States cannot directly provide F-16s to Ukrainian defense forces, Secretary of State Antony Blinken approved a third-party transfer of F-16s to Ukraine last week. Following this approval, the Netherlands and Denmark announced their intentions to make their F-16s available for Ukrainian use.
“The training provided by the United States will complement the F-16 pilot and maintenance training that’s already underway in Europe and further deepens our support of the F-16 training coalition led by Denmark and the Netherlands,” General Ryder said. “Moving forward we will remain in close consultation with the Danes, the Dutch, and other allies to ensure U.S. training complements the broader coalition training efforts.”
As the Lord Leads, Pray with Us…
- For U.S. military officials as they train Ukrainian jet pilots on F-16s in Tucson.
- For wisdom for the president and his defense advisors as they continue support for Ukraine.
Sources: Department of Defense
