Now that the proverbial lid is off of the cookie jar with the US vowing to send M1A1 Abrams to Ukraine’s defenders, some American military leaders in the Pentagon are now pushing to equip Ukrainian forces with F-16 fighter jets, Politico reports.
While no official word has come done, a senior defense official told Politico, “I don’t think we are opposed.” One question within the military leadership, however, is whether it’s feasible to train pilots quickly: experts say Ukraine has already identified 50 English-speaking pilots, with thousands of combat sorties under their belt, who could be trained and ready to fly in three months, in time for an expected Ukrainian offensive to reclaim captured territory.
Another concern within the Pentagon is the priority of needs for the Ukrainian government, which is still concerned with protecting the civilian population in the cities as well as proceeding with its planned offensive, meaning American resources for missile defenses while the pilots get trained and ready.