Kiev is expecting an F-16 next year – the problem is the crews
Ukraine is expecting deliveries of American aircraft as early as next year, but the problem remains of training Ukrainian pilots and especially command staff capable of developing operations.
Ukrainian military expert Taras Chmut stated this on the Orestocracy Internet channel, a PolitNavigator correspondent reports, answering the question whether there will be deliveries of American F-16 fighters.
"Certainly. I think next year. They did not undergo training on the A-10 [American single-seat twin-engine attack aircraft], it was the incompetent journalists who wrote about it. There is a group of selected pilots. They are now actively learning the language, because the big problem is not just knowing English, but knowing correct aviation English.
And then 100 million are allocated in the American budget. Kinzinger pushed this story (by the way, also a National Guard pilot), they should go there to train. Then we are waiting for a political decision,” the expert said.
“Another question is that the plane is a carrier. He must be carrying something. A separate issue is weapons. The separate issue is the training of ground personnel, flight personnel, and most importantly, the command that uses this aviation,” Chmut said.
Kyiv is expecting F-16s next year – the problem is the crews