Ukrainian pilots complete F-16 training in UK

In the UK, 200 Ukrainian pilots have completed basic training for operating F-16 fighter jets, according to the British Embassy in Ukraine.

Ukrainian pilots underwent flight, ground, and language training.

RAF instructors taught them general aircraft handling, flying by the aircraft’s instruments, low-level navigation and advanced formation flying,” the Embassy statement says.

F-16 transfers to Ukraine

In 2023, Ukraine and its allies formed an aviation coalition aimed at providing F-16 fighter jets. President Volodymyr Zelenskyy emphasized that Ukraine required at least 128 F-16 jets.

By August 2024, it was confirmed that the first F-16 jets had arrived in Ukraine, though the exact number remains unclear. The Netherlands and Denmark were the first to deliver F-16s, followed by Belgium, which pledged to provide 30 jets by the end of 2028.

In August 2024, Ukraine lost one of the F-16s due to a mass enemy attack, resulting in the death of experienced pilot Oleksii Mes, known as Moonfish.

Ukrainian pilots continue their F-16 training in several countries, including the US.