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UK to start training Ukrainian pilots in August

Wednesday, 5 July 2023, 18:01

The UK is set to launch a training programme for Ukrainian pilots operating Western fighter jets in August.

Source: European Pravda, quoting James Heappey, UK’s Minister of State for the Armed Forces

Details: Heappey said that 20 Ukrainian pilots will start basic training in the UK in August.

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The UK was the first country to announce that it would train Ukrainian pilots to operate Western aircraft. This initial round of training will take place on the ground; following it, Ukrainian pilots will be able to undertake more specialised training to operate F-16 fighter jets.

Previously: On 3 July, Ukraine’s Foreign Minister Dmytro Kuleba said that an unspecified country promised to start training Ukrainian pilots on F-16 fighter jets in June but has failed to do so due to an error.

On 15 June, Ukraine’s Defence Minister Oleksii Reznikov said that Ukraine's partners were planning to approve a training programme for Ukrainian pilots, engineers and technicians on F-16 fighter jets by July; he explained that the training would take place in a specially created centre in a European country.

Politico reported that Ukraine might start receiving F-16 fighter jets by early 2024.

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