The U.S. will start training Ukrainian pilots on how to fly American made F-16 fighter jets in October.
That training will take place at Morris Air National Guard Base in Tucson.
It is a part of an effort to get the advanced fighter jets to Ukraine for its defense against Russian forces.
The impact on Ukraine’s immediate air defenses will be limited, as American officials say it takes years of training to be able to field F-16 squadrons.
Pentagon press secretary Pat Ryder says the move is about long-term support, and will not affect the country’s current counteroffensive.
Pilots will be trained in formation flying, weapons operations, and how to withstand g-forces during flight.
It’s not yet clear how many pilots and maintenance workers will take part in the program.
The pilots will first undergo English instruction at Lackland Air Force Base in San Antonio, Texas, to bring their fluency up to the level needed to operate the aircraft, starting next month, Ryder said.
Ukraine has long pressed for the American fighter jets to help defend its cities and forces from Russian artillery and aviation. Denmark, the Netherlands and Norway announced in recent days they would supply the aircraft to Ukraine.
Ryder said the U.S. decided to join European allies in the training to avoid bottlenecks in bringing Ukrainian pilots up to speed.
The U.S. training would accommodate “several” Ukrainian fighter pilots and dozens of maintenance people for the jets, he said.
For experienced pilots, training can range around five months, Ryder said. He sketched out courses covering basics. In addition to flying the advanced craft, they include formation flying, operating weapons, air combat and suppressing air defense systems, on top of centrifuge training on the ground to help pilots withstand the g-forces of an F-16 cockpit.
EDITOR'S NOTE: The headline has been updated to clarify the location of Morris Air National Guard Base.
