According to the information of the Peta Ryider Ministry of Defense, Ukraine has the right to determine the number of pilots to be taught.
On June 18, the British edition of The Times published a material that states that the US is delaying the process of teaching Ukrainian pilots on F-16 aircraft, while the number of aircraft may exceed the number of pilots prepared. On the same day, the US Defense Ministry spokesman, Major General Pet Rayer, announced the expansion of the training program, which was confirmed by the official Pentagon press release.
According to Rider, the training of Ukrainian pilots on F-16 aircraft occurs in Arizona and Denmark, as well as the opportunities for additional training in other European countries are considered.
"Our attention is focused on cooperation with aviation partners to determine their needs and their fulfillment. There are opportunities for expanding training in other European countries, which we support through a coalition of aviation partners," the Ryder said.
He also added that the question of the number of pilots being taught, Ukraine solves on its own, given its air park, the needs of the pilot composition and expectations of the program.
Earlier, the article of the Times Oleksandr Ustinova, the head of the Special Parliamentary Commission on Weapons and ammunition, indicated that the number of F-16 aircraft transferred to Ukraine by Ukraine (Belgium, Dania, the Netherlands and Norway) exceeds the number of pilots prepared. Currently, 28 pilots are trained in the US and Denmark, but Pentagon, according to Ustinova, has refused to allocate an additional 10 months to study.
