According to Kyiv Post journalists, the White House is secretly trying to prevent faster training of Ukrainian pilots on F-16 fighter jets.
Points of attention
- The White House is accused of slowing down the training of Ukrainian pilots on F-16 fighter jets, impacting Ukraine's defense capabilities.
- US refusal to provide F-16s and postpone pilot training may strain relations with Ukraine and lead to criticism of the Biden administration.
- The lack of training grounds is cited as a reason for the delayed training, despite the US government having the means to address this issue.
- Ukrainian President Zelensky opted for French Mirage 2000 fighter jets due to alleged US reluctance to expedite F-16 pilot training.
- The discrepancies between US promises of support for Ukraine and actual actions, such as delays in F-16 transfers and training programs, are highlighted by journalists.
Why the White House is trying to delay the training of Ukrainian pilots on the F-16
According to the journalists of the publication with reference to a high-ranking American government official, there are 30 pilots in Ukraine with qualifications sufficient to participate in the F-16 training program in the USA.
However, the joint efforts of the US will produce no more than 15-20 Ukrainian pilots trained to fly the F-16 fighter in the near future.
At the same time, in the near future, the partners are to transfer about 60 F-16 fighters to Ukraine.
This is a terrible ratio of the number of crews and planes, - the publication emphasizes.
According to the representatives of the Pentagon, the rapid training of Ukrainian pilots is impossible due to the lack of a sufficient number of training sites, which are all allegedly occupied.
However, the authors of the publication emphasize that Washington could not have been unaware of this situation when they agreed to the delivery of F-16 fighter jets to Ukraine.
At the same time, the journalists of the publication note that, if desired, the US Ministry of Defense could correct this situation.
Perhaps this inadequate pace of pilot training is the reason why Zelensky announced the deal on the French fighter jet. Macron plans to deliver the Mirage 2000, train crews and technical personnel in six months. If this is true, it will be a black mark on the Biden administration, the authors of the material assume.
In their opinion, statements by representatives of President Joe Biden's administration regarding the training of Ukrainian pilots on the F-16 and plans for the transfer of these fighters do not correspond to real actions.
In particular, a number of illustrative examples are indicated:
in the past, the White House denied the transfer of F-16 to Ukraine, justifying it with false statements;
Biden only authorized the transfer of F-16s by the Europeans when the Dutch and Danes were the first to act;
The US does not provide any F-16s from its own stock, although the Pentagon has more than 300 of these in good condition, of which at least two squadrons could be provided to Ukraine;
Biden himself proposed and then postponed F-16 training programs for Ukrainian pilots.
The US leadership is playing Jekyll and Hyde. For the public, they repeat the narrative of "full support" for Ukraine. However, behind closed doors, support is lacking. Perhaps it is not surprising that Zelensky welcomes the French offer of the Mirage 2000, - the authors of the material emphasize.
