Denmark has trained the first 50 Ukrainian specialists who will serve the F-16 fighters.
Points of attention
- Ukraine expects to receive 19 F-16 aircraft from Denmark, which will be used by Ukrainian pilots.
- The first Ukrainian F-16 pilots are trained in the USA, Britain, France, Denmark and Romania.
- Ukraine is expected to have 6 F-16 fighters and 12 pilots by the summer of 2024.
- Denmark and the Netherlands allowed Ukraine to use their F-16 fighter jets to attack Russian territory.
The first F-16 specialists are already in Ukraine
The Danish Air Force commander Jan Dam said that these 50 specialists had already returned to Ukraine to help prepare for the reception of the first planes. These are mechanics responsible for weapons and ground personnel of air bases.
Another 50 specialists are on the waiting list, whose training will begin after the summer vacation.
Dam added that the F-16s provided by Denmark will operate from Ukrainian air bases, which will soon be ready for use.
The Air Force commander added that training the first group of Ukrainian pilots is also underway. Now, they are mastering night flights. Their training is generally designed for six to eight months.
According to him, Denmark will have about 20 Ukrainian pilots by the end of the year.
Dam expects that the fighter jets will especially boost Ukrainian morale, and the new pilots will have fundamental skills in air combat and ground-based missile strikes.
F-16 for Ukraine
The Air Force of the Armed Forces expects 19 F-16 aircraft from Denmark. They will be handed over after training pilots and engineers and the necessary infrastructure is constructed.
The first fighter jet should arrive in Ukraine this summer. By the end of this year, the country should also train about 20 Ukrainian pilots.
Ukrainian military pilots and technicians undergo training in the USA, Britain, France, Denmark and Romania. It is expected that Ukraine will have the first six F-16 fighters and 12 trained pilots already in the summer of 2024.
Some of the F-16 supplier countries (the Netherlands and Denmark) have already allowed Ukraine to use their fighters to attack targets on Russian territory.
