Politico: Western partners have not yet agreed on a plan to train Ukrainian pilots for the F-16. Here are the options which being discussed

Western partners have not yet agreed on a plan to train Ukrainian pilots on F-16 fighter jets.

This was reported to Politico by three US officials familiar with the discussions.

Denmark and the Netherlands lead an 11-nation coalition to support the training, but so far no country has publicly announced that it is sending planes to Ukraine.

Currently, Ukraine is increasing pressure on allies to send F-16s as soon as possible. After Russiaʼs withdrawal from the "grain agreement", the Minister of Foreign Affairs of Ukraine Dmytro Kuleba noted that the planes could help protect the "grain corridor".

One of the training proposals involves sending Ukrainian pilots to the United States for training at the base of the 162nd Airlift Wing, an Air National Guard unit located in Tucson, Arizona. Foreign partners are already being trained there on the F-16. But the idea does not have widespread support, according to two US officials and a European official.

Another plan is to send American military pilots to Europe to train Ukrainians. Two US officials said there were no final decisions yet.

"Cooperation continues. We are working with our partners and allies to determine the most practical way to implement this plan," the source told Politico.

The coalition has already taken certain steps to start the exercises. Aerospace contractor Draken International has begun recruiting retired military pilots to train Ukrainian pilots. This was stated by one of the American officials. Journalists also saw a job advertisement, which was later deleted. Training will take place at the facility currently under construction in Romania. European officials have announced that another training center will be created in Denmark.

The EU hopes that training can begin this summer, most likely in Europe, Pentagon spokeswoman Sabrina Singh said on July 25. According to her, Great Britain plans to start basic flight and language training of Ukrainian pilots within a few weeks.

However, F-16 training cannot begin until the US State Department officially approves the transfer of training materials, including operating instructions and flight simulators. When asked recently about the delay, national security adviser Jake Sullivan said European countries needed several more weeks to build the necessary infrastructure for the exercise.

American officials say that the planes will arrive in Ukraine no earlier than the spring of 2024.

"We will probably have some pilots on board by the end of the year, but the real F-16 with Ukrainian colors is unlikely to arrive before the spring," the US official stated.

• The coalition for training Ukrainian pilots on the F-16 includes Denmark, the Netherlands, Great Britain, the United States, Portugal, Norway and Belgium. Ukrainian pilots will first undergo basic training and a language course under the supervision of Britain, then they will begin training on airplanes. Training is expected to begin in the summer. Ukraine will be able to receive the first planes in 6-7 months after that.