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The U.S. is shifting its F-16 pilot training for Ukraine to focus on young cadets rather than experienced Air Force personnel, a decision that could delay the timeline for Kyiv to receive a fully combat-ready squadron of Western-made aircraft by several months.
This was reported by The Wall Street Journal, citing American officials.
According to sources, the new approach is due to a shortage of experienced Ukrainian pilots with the necessary English skills to be sent into combat. Some officials also noted that young cadets are seen as more open to learning Western-style training.
The training program has become a subject of debate, especially after an August crash. Sources said that a full F-16 squadron, consisting of 20 aircraft and 40 pilots, is unlikely to appear in Ukraine before the spring or summer of 2025.
The new cadets will need a year of training in the UK and France before moving on to F-16 practice in Arizona and Romania. Experienced pilots, meanwhile, can skip basic flight training.
“It’s a mix. Some of them were experienced pilots, and we continue to get more experienced pilots. But there are also those who lack that flight training and experience,” said a Pentagon spokesperson.
U.S. officials also pointed out that Ukrainian trainees faced challenges with some aspects of the training program and with the level of English proficiency required for the course.
Additionally, American instructors found that some Ukrainian pilots from the first group of students—who had experience flying Soviet MiG fighters and had just returned from active combat zones—resisted American training methods.
This tension reflects a frequent dynamic in military training between NATO instructors, who follow established procedures, and Ukrainians, who face urgent needs in their war against Russia and often have more combat experience than their Western instructors.
The F-16 crash, initially reported by Western media, occurred during one of Russia’s largest air attacks on Ukraine on August 26. On August 29, Ukraine’s General Staff confirmed the crash during efforts to repel the air assault.
Following this incident, doubts emerged among Western allies about the speed of pilot training and the decision to send them into battle just weeks after their arrival.
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