The Ukrainian Air Force is currently exploring the possibility of recruiting retired NATO pilots, particularly those qualified to fly the recently acquired F-16 Fighting Falcon fighter jets. This information was conveyed by U.S. Senators Richard Blumenthal and Lindsey Graham, who met with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky in Kyiv on August 12.
“If you are a retired F-16 pilot and want to fight for freedom, you will be hired here. Ukraine will be looking across all NATO countries for retired fighter pilots who are willing to come and help until they can train their own pilots. So, we are going to get these planes in the air sooner rather than later,” Graham stated.
It is important to note that, earlier this month, the Dutch Defense Minister, Ruben Brekelmans, confirmed that the F-16s being delivered to Ukraine would not be able to fully utilize their capabilities against Russian forces because Ukrainian pilots do not yet have the experience to execute certain missions. Brekelmans confirmed that the fighter jets would not be used for ground support because the pilots “do not yet have enough experience for that,” prioritizing their training instead.
On August 4, during a ceremony led by Zelensky, the Ukrainian Air Force unveiled and celebrated the incorporation of its first two F-16 Fighting Falcon jets with serial numbers UA 80-3596 and UA 80-3599, transferred by the Royal Danish Air Force. It was also revealed that these initial F-16s are part of a larger batch of fighter jets committed by Denmark, the Netherlands, and Norway, consisting of up to 65 F-16AM/BM jets.
However, not all of these units will be used in combat missions. Several aircraft will likely serve as a source of spare parts to support an operational core of fighters designated for combat roles. For this reason, the F-16s have been presented in an air-to-air configuration, equipped with short-range AIM-9L/M Sidewinder and medium-range AIM-120B AMRAAM missiles.
Currently, Ukrainian pilots are being trained in the United States, the Netherlands, Denmark, and at the European F-16 Training Center in Romania, with the United Kingdom also listed for basic flight training courses. This “accelerated course” will allow them to qualify to operate the aircraft in just five months, compared to the usual eight. However, it has been reported that the pilots’ progress has been slowed because many lack the necessary technical English skills.
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