DOD: Ukrainian F-16 Pilots on Track with Training in Arizona

The small number of pilots training at Morris Air National Guard Base in Tucson will graduate this year, according to a Pentagon spokesperson.

Kimberly Johnson

Friday, January 05, 2024 at 05:17 PM ET

Verified

Norwegian F-16s have landed in Denmark, ready to train Ukrainian pilots. [Courtesy: Royal Norwegian Armed Forces]

Key Takeaways:

Ukrainian pilots currently undergoing F-16 flight training in the U.S. are expected to graduate in the coming months.
Additional F-16 training opportunities for Ukrainian pilots are expanding in Europe, with Norway providing F-16s and instructors for training in Denmark, and a dedicated center operating in Romania with Dutch F-16s.
These international efforts aim to modernize Ukraine's air force and enhance its defense capabilities against Russia, though a full transition to Western F-16 standards is anticipated to be a long-term process.

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Ukrainian pilots undergoing F-16 flight training in the U.S. are expected to graduate in the coming months, according to a Pentagon spokesperson.

A small number of Ukrainian fighter pilots began to train in F-16 fundamentals with the 162nd Wing, Arizona Air National Guard (ANG) at Morris Air National Guard Base in Tucson in October. Called the “face of the USAF to the world,” the ANG wing has trained pilots from 25 countries to fly the F-16.