Air Force stresses F-16 delivery possible only after completed training despite statements

The F-16 fighter jets will arrive in Ukraine only after the training of pilots and other specialists is completed, Air Force spokesman Yuriy Ihnat said during national telethon.

Earlier, the chairman of the US Joint Chiefs of Staff General Mark Milley said that Ukraine will receive F-16 "in a not-too-distant future".

According to Ihnat, the "nearest future" is when pilots and other aviation specialists will be ready.

"A large team works for the takeoff of one F-16. As soon as the pilots are ready, we can talk about the specifics. There is no point in handing over the planes until the training is over. The training program is different," said the spokesman of the Air Force.

He noted that the training system in different countries will help speed up the process and see the F-16 in the Ukrainian sky sooner.

"The planes will be able to protect themselves, they will be part of the anti-aircraft defense," Ihnat emphasized.

On August 20, 2023, Denmark announced that it would hand over 19 aircraft to Ukraine, the Netherlands – an unknown number (the country has 42 aircraft; how many of them will be given to the Armed Forces is not stated).

Ukraine should use the F-16 only on its territory – not on the territory of Russia. Such conditions were announced by the Minister of Defense of Denmark. The Armed Forces accept these conditions, said Air Force spokesman Yuriy Ihnat.

On August 24, it became known that Norway will become the third country from which Ukraine will receive F-16s. The Prime Minister of Norway did not announce the number, but the mass media write that it could be from 5 to 10 planes.

On August 24, it was reported that in September the United States will start training the Armed Forces of Ukraine on the F-16s, and the training will be held in Arizona.