A Pentagon spokesperson confirmed that training for Ukrainian aircrews to operate F-16 fighters is ongoing in the United States, specifically in Arizona, and is also conducted in Denmark. The remarks were reported by a major news agency.
According to the spokesperson, there is no current information about Ukrainian pilots training on Ukrainian soil, and there is no indication that American contractors are involved in such training programs. The spokesperson emphasized that the focus of the discussions at the moment is the international training arrangements outside Ukraine.
In early August, a well-known international publication summarized that at the end of July Ukraine received the initial tranche of F-16 aircraft from Western partners. The report noted that the United States and allied nations delivered a limited number of jets to the conflict zone. Analysts cited by the publication argued that the primary aim of supplying the initial F-16s is to bolster the morale of Ukrainian pilots rather than to deliver immediate battlefield advantages in air superiority or direct ground support. They estimated that achieving a sustained offensive would require a fleet of roughly twelve squadrons, with eighteen aircraft in each squadron.
During a mid August visit to Kyiv, a United States Senator indicated that retired NATO pilots would be eligible to operate the F-16 jets that have been transferred to Ukraine. This statement was made in the context of ongoing discussions about pilot utilization and training pathways for foreign personnel in the Ukrainian theater.
Earlier reporting also highlighted the existence of air defense challenges in Ukraine, including the Russian S-400 system, which has been cited as a potential threat to the new F-16 aircraft that have begun arriving with support from Western partners. The dynamic described here reflects broader strategic considerations about the balance between training, equipment delivery, and air defense resilience in the region.