According to the Ukrainian service of ***, Ukrainian pilots were "impressed" by the performance of American F-16 fighters. A pilot under the pseudonym "Phantom" said in an interview with the ** that during the training of multi-role fighters in the United States and Europe, Ukrainian pilots spoke highly of the aircraft.
Our pilot was very impressed," he said. "The aircraft simply exceeded their expectations. Even though they received a lot of information during training, they already saw the great potential of this aircraft for the future of our Air Force. ”
However, "Mirage" also notes that for pilots accustomed to flying older Russian-made Su-27s and MiG-29s, retraining to use advanced aircraft does pose certain challenges.
Air Force Brigadier General Pat Ryder, the Pentagon's press secretary, announced in August that the United States would begin training Ukrainian pilots in F-16 fighter jets "to support international efforts to develop and strengthen Ukraine's long-term defense."
The United States began training Ukrainian pilots in October, while the RAF began training pilots in August, giving them flight and English lessons, and then the first pilots began specific F-16 training in Denmark in December.
British Defence Secretary Grant Shapps has said that despite Russian airstrikes in the early days of the conflict, Ukraine is now able to intercept and destroy the vast majority of incoming munitions, with international support.
Ukrainian Defense Minister Rustem Umerov said that Ukraine attaches great importance to the pilot training provided by the United Kingdom and other partners, stressing that it provides a "fast and effective plan" for Ukrainian pilots to acquire the skills they need in the war against Russia.
A spokesman for the Ukrainian Air Force said it would be several months before they could see action against Russian troops.
According to the US Air Force, the F-16 fighter is described as a compact multi-role fighter for air-to-air and air-to-ground operations. The aircraft has the ability to carry a variety of ** equipment and has a long flight range when fighting in air to ground.
However, the Atlantic Council think tank expressed doubts in an August report that the F-16 fighter jets could be a game-changer in the war, as Russia's S-400 surface-to-air missile system could pose a serious threat to all Ukrainian jets and force them to fly at lower altitudes, putting them at a disadvantage. Nonetheless, the report notes that efforts to train Ukrainian pilots, ground crews and logistics personnel to operate and maintain these aircraft will be of long-term value.