The Pentagon announced the US military will start training its first class of Ukrainian pilots on how to fly F-16 fighters starting in October, after the Ukrainians finish a month of English language education, CNN reports.
Thirty-two Ukrainian pilots have been selected to start the training, which will be facilitated by the Air National Guard’s 162nd Wing at Morris Air National Guard Base in Tucson, Arizona. The US program kicked off after training programs at European allies Denmark and the Netherlands filled up. Those nations have promised to provide dozens of the aircraft for Ukraine.
In a weekend interview, Ukrainian Defense Minister Oleksii Reznikov acknowledged that Ukrainian pilots and ground crews had already started training, but did not specify who was conducting the training or where. Reznikov estimated that it will take pilots and crews six months of training before they’re ready to deploy, but that instructors will make the final assessment.