Ukrainian pilots start training on F-16s in US

“The training curriculum will align with the foundational knowledge and skills of each pilot and is expected to last several months,” a U.S. Air Force spokesperson said in a statement provided to Air & Space Forces Magazine.

A “small number” of Ukrainian pilots began training with the 162nd Wing of the Arizona Air National Guard earlier this week in “F-16 fundamentals,” according to a service spokesperson.

The 162nd Wing trains pilots at Morris Air National Guard Base, which is located at Tucson International Airport. It is the only unit in the U.S. Air Force tasked with training foreign pilots on F-16s as part of its day-to-day mission. The wing has trained over two dozen countries in how to operate the F-16.

As noted, a typical F-16 training course takes around six months. However, U.S. officials have indicated Ukrainian pilots are unlikely to follow a standard model as the course will be suited to Ukraine’s need to protect its skies from Russian aircraft, drones, and missiles.

European nations are also training Ukrainian pilots in how to operate the F-16.