Denmark to begin the coaching of Ukrainian pilots on F-16s

COPENHAGEN, Denmark (AP) — Denmark’s authorities mentioned Monday that the coaching of Ukrainian pilots on F-16 jets has began and the retirement of the Scandinavian nation’s fleet of growing older U.S. fighters has been moved up two years.

The alternative fighters, F-35s, will likely be operative by 2025, appearing Defense Minister Troels Lund Poulsen mentioned. Initially, the change was deliberate for 2027.

Lund Poulsen mentioned that NATO member Denmark “has taken the step of starting a training and further education effort for the Ukrainian pilots.”

“We will also consider whether we should make a concrete donation to Ukraine of the Danish F-16 fighters, and how many there should be,” he mentioned.

Ukrainian pilots should spend six to eight months of coaching earlier than a doable donation of Danish F-16 plane can develop into a actuality, Lund Poulsen informed Danish broadcaster DR.

“This does not mean that you cannot make a decision beforehand. But (the F-16 planes) will be in Denmark until 2024,” Lund Poulsen mentioned.

Denmark has ordered 27 F-35A fighter jets, which can change the greater than 40-year-old F-16s, of which Denmark has 30 operative planes. The change to the F-35A Joint Strike Fighter jets is going down from late 2023 to the top of 2025.

Ukraine has lengthy requested for Western fighter jets to assist it resist the full-scale Russian invasion, which started in February 2022. Initially reluctant, the U.S. and different NATO nations not too long ago agreed to permit Ukrainian pilots to obtain coaching to on F-16 fighters, although none has but dedicated handy over any planes.

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