“Only rabbits reproduce faster”: when F-16 pilot training will be completed

When will pilot training for the F-16 be completed / Collage 24 Channel

Former CIA director David Petraeus said that Ukrainian pilots are talented, so they can quickly switch from MiG and Su aircraft to the F-16. He suggests that Ukraine could possibly receive American fighter jets in the winter. Logically, the training of the Ukrainian military should be completed around the end of February or beginning of March.

Aviation expert Valery Romanenko told Channel 24 , noting that pilots must be able to use all types of weapons and equipment.

“Before, only rabbits reproduced. But pilots need to be trained long and hard,” said an aviation expert.

Thus, the Ukrainian military must be able to use the on-board complexes of all aircraft systems – both to defeat the enemy and to protect their own fighter. In addition, pilots must be able to work not only independently , but also in pairs and fours.

This is a very difficult moment – to fly units. The one who leads and the one who is led must understand each other from half a movement,” Romanenko noted.

F-16 fighters are more complex than the machines that the Ukrainian Armed Forces have. Therefore, Ukrainian defenders need a lot of practice to get used to it. Fighters must be as prepared as possible to participate in battles.

How are they trained?

Ukrainian pilots training to fly F-16s in the United States are allegedly flying with an instructor on their backs in two-seat planes, according to an aviation expert. So they must make 7 – 8 flights. Later, with the permission of the instructor, they will fly the same fighters independently or switch to single-seat aircraft.

How long can F-16 training last: watch the video

After this, route flights and minimal aerobatics will begin. And also flights with external tanks and weapons. Next is the stage of combat training. It lasts for more than a month.

“This is basic training. If we want to use HARM as effectively as possible, then we also need to learn how to break through air defense or at least launch strikes using the full capabilities of this missile. It’s a rather complicated process,” Valery Romanenko emphasized.

It is also necessary to study more firing angles and range capabilities of the missiles that will be provided to the Ukrainian army along with the aircraft. The type of weapon determines the tactics and how it can be used.

Training Ukrainian pilots on the F-16: the main thing

• Ukrainian pilots have already begun training on F-16 aircraft in the United States of America. The Air Force said the training program will be tailored to each pilot's basic knowledge and skills. The training will continue for several months.
• American F-16 fighter jets arrived in Romania. Ukrainian pilots will study on them. The Netherlands provided aircraft for training. Speaker of the Air Force of the Ukrainian Armed Forces Yuriy Ignat said that the center where the classes will be held is still under construction.
• Ukraine will receive the first F-16s from Denmark and the Netherlands. They will transfer 61 aircraft to the Ukrainian Armed Forces. Belgium, Portugal, the USA and the UK also joined the aviation coalition. As stated by NSDC Secretary Alexey Danilov, American fighters will be in Ukraine in the spring of 2024.