First Eight Ukrainian F-16 Trainees Selected

The first eight Ukraine air force pilots to train on F-16s have been chosen and it appears English fluency is a requirement. The first eight are all fluent and another 20 with some English are heading to England this month to brush up on the language. The eight English speakers are waiting for a formal training plan from the European countries that will be donating their surplus Vipers to Ukraine. The U.S. has to sign off on the training plan and it's not clear how long the plan and its approval will take, but it might happen before the end of the month.

There are strings attached to the deployment of the F-16s. Ukraine isn't supposed to use them to attack targets in Russia or to fly them over Russian territory. The U.S. is insisting the F-16s are to be used for defense and deterrence. There are 11 NATO countries taking part in the training effort (the U.S. is not directly involved) and the training will take place in Denmark and Romania.