Year 2023 graduates sent to UK for pilot training - Air Force commander

Young pilots who graduated this year went to the UK for F-16 training, while year 2016 graduates with combat experience were sent to Sweden.

That’s according to Lieutenant General Mykola Oleshchuk, Ukraine’s Air Force Commander, who spoke on the air of the national telethon, Ukrinform reports.

"As Air Force commander, I understand that the future belongs to young pilots. That's why I made a decision and the pilots who graduated this year, in 2023, went to the UK for training. As for Sweden, young pilots, who graduated in 2016, with sufficient combat experience, went there, Oleshchuk said.

He noted that the training system in these countries is quite flexible as instructors approach each pilot individually.

"On the eve of training, two of my pilots were tested by U.S. instructors. If we take the general training they are doing, it’s 32 months. As for these two pilots, it was decided that they will be able to master the F-16 aircraft in four months. But I’d like to note that this type of aircraft is made in such a way that the pilot focuses only on the use of weapons and military equipment and does not focus, accordingly, on piloting technique," said Oleshchuk.

He added that in Ukraine, before being sent for training, pilots were tested on their English language knowledge.

As Ukrinform reported, Ukrainian pilots, engineers, and ground technicians have already started training on F-16 aircraft, according to Minister of Defense Oleksii Reznikov.