JAKARTA - Ukrainian pilots can start training to fly US-made F-16 fighter jets as soon as this summer, the Dutch Defense Minister told Reuters the first step to supply Kyiv with long-term capabilities to fight with Russia.
The Netherlands and Denmark led the international coalition to train pilots and support staff, maintain aircraft and ultimately supply the F-16 to Ukraine. Previously, the Netherlands had said it would start training on Ukrainian pilots "as soon as possible", but had not yet determined when such training could be carried out.
"This summer is our ambition. And we will see if it is realistic to start a training program," Dutch Defense Minister Kajsa Ollongren told Reuters in an interview.
He said his goal was to have a fully operational training program within six months. Denmark, where there is an aviation simulator, is the location that allows it to host the program.
The final decision has not been taken at the request of Kyiv to supply dozens of F-16s, said Ollongren. The US-backed training program will include Belgium and Luxembourg. While France and Britain have offered assistance, he said.
While adopting the F-16 will have no impact on war in the short term, it will make Ukraine more in line with NATO's military capabilities, which are "very important to the future," said Ollongren.
"When the war is over, Ukraine should be able to defend itself to prevent Russia from trying again. And I think... that's what the Ukrainians are also seeing," he said.
"This is a very powerful weapon system. Its capabilities are very strong. But it will not be available anytime soon and the President (Volodymyr) Zelensky, of course, knows it," explained Ollongren.
Two sources, speaking on condition of anonymity, told Reuters the training would begin with two groups consisting of 12 Ukrainian pilots, who had experience flying Soviet-era MiGs.
Last week, President Zelensky said he accepted a "serious, strong" offer from leaders of countries ready to provide Kyiv with F-16 fighter jets, and was awaiting a final agreement with key allies.
It is known, it usually takes about 2.5 years to become a fighter pilot in the Netherlands. A US official spoke to Reuters on condition that he was anonymous, the estimated training time was still complete, but it could take at least four months to teach experienced Ukrainian pilots F-16 basic skills.
Meanwhile, Colonel Laurens-Jan Vijge, a Dutch F-35 pilot who flew the F-16 for 15 years, including several missions to Afghanistan, was part of a team formed to train Ukraine.
"fly wisely, well, technically, if you're a pilot, it's also just an airplane," he said at Volkel Air Base, south of the Netherlands.
Ukrainian pilots must learn how to operate the so-called 'throttle and stick' F-16.
"It means, both on the thrust you use for acceleration and the stick to control the plane, there are many buttons that you use to operate all the avionics. Usually in Soviet equipment, it doesn't exist, or at least not too much," he explained.
The course will include language training and "s simulator training where they learn how to handle various subsystems on board," he said.
"And that was before you started talking about how to operate it as a weapons platform. So that's really the last part of the training."
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