The two pilots are currently being tested to determine how much time they might need to complete real training. The soldiers are subjected to medical tests and can prove their skills in simulators.
According to prior agreements ten more Ukrainian pilots will arrive in the United States by the end of March for similar tests.
The Americans added that during the training none of the pilots will fly a real F-16, they can only practice in the simulators.
The Pentagon also emphasized that there are currently no plans to deliver the machines to Ukraine, since the training of pilots would take at least eight months even if they were otherwise experienced navigators. The Ministry of Defense did not say how long it would take to train the ground crew.
If the “mass” training of Ukrainian pilots does start (according to Kiev, they can do without less than twenty pilots at the moment), it will probably be realized in the framework of a long-term project, which may take years.
The cover image is an illustration of an F-16 fighter-bomber. Source: Getty Images
