Ukrainian pilots “pumped” for F-16 training - Air Force spox

The spokesman for Ukraine’s Air Force Command, Yuriy Ihnat said this in an interview with the Ukrainian Pravda online newspaper, Ukrinform reports.

"No, not yet,” he said, answering a question of whether the training on F16 fighter jets has already kicked off for Ukrainian pilots.

“Our pilots, as they say, are all pumped. The first group of the best pilots has been selected - those who have combat experience, who have hundreds of flight hours behind their back, those who speak English, the young ones. The list is being updated, some pilots even get killed in action. But you need to understand that the best of the best will be the first to go. We are all looking forward to this," said Ihnat.

According to him, it will take up to six months for Ukrainian pilots to master the warplane.

As reported earlier, President Volodymyr Zelensky said Ukraine’s international partners are ready to provide Ukraine with F-16 fighter jets, but the appropriate infrastructure is yet to be set up to this end.