Serious base – instructor pilot on the upcoming training of Ukrainian pilots on the F-16 in Romania

How Ukrainian pilots can study in Romania / Collage 24 Channel

The Air Force of the Ukrainian Armed Forces stated that the training center in Romania, where Ukrainian pilots should study on F-16 aircraft, is still under construction. Meanwhile, Vladimir Zelensky thanked the country’s president for opening the training center.

But the Romanian center is the last place where Ukrainian pilots will study. This opinion was expressed to Channel 24 by a reserve colonel of the Armed Forces of Ukraine, an instructor pilot, and a military expert, Roman Svitan, noting that there are currently several sites where the Ukrainian military trains on American fighters. Note that F-16s have already arrived at the air force base in Romania.

“This base is a common base. Both pilots – combat control officers and engineering staff – will study there. It’s a serious base where our main groups, not our first ones, will be retrained to use this aircraft,” Svitan said.

In his opinion, this is the most convenient base from the logistics side. By plane – just a few tens of minutes – and you can already be in the center of Ukraine.

What is known about the F-16 training center in Romania: watch the video

Additional features

NATO air forces are stationed in Romania. Aircraft that can conduct radar reconnaissance are also based there. This is done over a distance of 600–800 km. And these are already temporarily occupied territories of Ukraine. In particular, Crimea.

“If the F-16s with our pilots are used in combat mode, they can also provide additional information. Therefore, our pilots, most likely, at the base in Romania will study and carry out combat missions with the help of AWACS aircraft,” added the instructor pilot.

When will the pilots be ready?

Roman Svitan suggests that Ukrainian pilots who will study at this base will perform tasks starting in 2024. Those military personnel who started studying even earlier may be ready as early as December. At least some of them.

The main thing is that there is political will to transfer the aircraft. We will actually receive the bulk of the aircraft before spring – around March. There are certain technological difficulties in transfer and training,” said the reserve colonel of the Armed Forces of Ukraine.

Ukraine may receive the first aircraft by the end of 2023. The military expert suggested that then by the end of the year it will be possible to see the completion of combat missions. For example, at least air cover of certain areas in air defense mode.

Air Force pilot training: important

• Ukrainian pilots have not yet begun training on American fighters in Romania. Speaker of the Air Force of the Ukrainian Armed Forces Yuriy Ignat noted that up to 18 aircraft can be transferred to this training center. Currently, the training center is being formed and built.
• At the same time, in Denmark and the USA, Ukrainian pilots continue their training on these fighters. Some of them have already boarded the F-16 with instructors. As reported in the United States, the training will take several months.
• The former CIA director said that Ukrainian pilots could very quickly switch to the F-16. In his opinion, the Ukrainian state can probably receive American fighters in the winter.