The news that two Ukrainian pilots have traveled to the United States to explore training on Western warplanes, including F-16s, does not signal a shift in Washington’s earlier stance on sending such aircraft to Ukraine. Policy coverage notes this development with information from multiple sources.
A Pentagon spokesperson explained that a dedicated training program for Ukrainian pilots was scheduled to begin late last year, but officials chose to postpone the rollout. The Ukrainian airmen have arrived in Arizona and have been on site for about a week. Politico reports that the pilots will not fly American aircraft as part of this program during the initial phase.
Earlier, Anadolu Agency cited a senior U.S. military official in confirming that two Ukrainian pilots have started training on combat aircraft in the United States, including the F-16 platform, according to the agency’s reporting.
On March 1, Vice Chairman Colin Kahl reiterated the Pentagon’s stance that the United States possesses approximately 128 fourth-generation F-16s, and he stated that Kyiv may eventually require a fleet in the range of 50 to 80 Western fighters to meet its defense goals.