US commend skills of Ukrainian pilots, saying they can master F-16s swiftly
The United States of America has given a high assessment of the skills of Ukrainian pilots who have been tested for their ability to retrain for flying Western multi-purpose fighters.
Source: General Serhii Holubtsov, Air Force Commander of the Ukrainian Air Force on air during the national joint 24/7 newscast
Quote: "We believed that our pilots would show their [skill – ed.] level, and it really happened. Two pilots successfully passed the test in the United States. The assessment given was quite high, and at the end of the report [it is indicated – ed.] that a retraining programme for Ukrainian pilots to master F-16 jets could be significantly reduced compared to standard pilot training programmes."
Background: Yurii Ihnat, spokesman for the Air Force of the Armed Forces of Ukraine, said that two Ukrainian pilots visited the US to help develop a better understanding of Ukrainian pilots’ skills and their needs in terms of training to operate modern Western-made fighter jets.
Why this is important: Ukraine’s Air Force stressed on numerous occasions that in order to gain an advantage over the Russian aggressor forces in the war, Ukraine needs modern fourth-generation multi-purpose fighter jets, such as F-16s. The US has said that supplying Ukraine with such jets was not a priority.
Mykola Oleshchuk, Commander of the Air Force of the Ukrainian Armed Forces, has called on NATO to create an "aircraft coalition" and make every effort to provide Ukraine with modern fourth-generation multi-purpose fighter jets capable of protecting Ukraine from Russian airstrikes.
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