Ukraine to coach 'a number of dozen' fight pilots to fly US' F-16 aircrafts | World News

Ukraine plans to ship "a number of dozen" fight pilots for coaching to fly U.S.-manufactured F-16 fighter jets, Ukrainian air drive spokesman Yuriy Ihnat mentioned on Friday, as western allies ready the required coaching programmes.

"Every part is being finished to get it began as early as attainable," Ihnat instructed Ukrainian nationwide tv, including that the pilots picked for coaching would have fight expertise.

"It isn't coaching, it is retraining," Ihnat mentioned.

Ukraine, which has launched a long-awaited counter-offensive, has repeatedly mentioned it wants new Western plane to efficiently counter Russia's aerial dominance.

NATO members the Netherlands and Denmark are main efforts by a global coalition to coach pilots and assist employees, keep plane and in the end provide F-16s to Ukraine.

Dutch Defence Minister Kajsa Ollongren instructed Reuters this week that coaching Ukrainian pilots to fly F-16s may start as quickly as this summer season.

She mentioned the intention can be to have the coaching programme totally operational inside six months. Denmark, the place there are flight simulators, is a attainable location to host this system.

A remaining determination has not but been taken on a request from Kyiv to produce dozens of F-16s, Ollongren mentioned. The U.S.-backed coaching program will embody Belgium and Luxembourg, whereas France and Britain have supplied help, she mentioned.