War in Ukraine: Ukrainian fighter pilots currently trained in the south of France “for several months”

Une dizaine d'Ukrainiens sont actuellement en “formation avancée” pour “plusieurs mois”. MAXPPP – Robert Ghement

Comme l'a annoncé Sébastien Lecornu ce vendredi 12 avril 2024, de futurs pilotes de chasse ukraniens sont actuellement formés dans le sud de la France par l'armée de l'Air.

Future Ukrainian fighter pilots likely to operate American F-16 planes are being trained in the south of France by the Air Force, the minister announced on Friday French Army, Sébastien Lecornu, in an interview with the newspaper Ouest France.

Advanced training lasting several months

The pilots receive "general training, on Alpha Jet (military aircraft of Franco-German design, Editor's note), which allows Ukrainian pilots to ;acquire fundamentals on piloting a fighter plane", declared the minister.

Around ten Ukrainians, some of whom received prior training in the United Kingdom, are currently in "advanced training" for "several months" in order to learn how to pilot a fighter plane in an undisclosed location, according to a military source.

They will then join specific training programs on F-16 in Ukraine's allied countries possessing such aircraft, from which kyiv is awaiting delivery, added the same source.< /p>

"We took the lead with these AASM bombs"

Mr. Lecornu recalled this Friday that the French armies had succeeded in adapting AASM guided air-to-ground bombs on Soviet-class aircraft held by the Ukrainians.

"It’s not the whole point of having a plane, if you don’ have trained pilots and the munitions that go with it. We have taken the lead with these AASM bombs to be able to provide these munitions to Ukraine", he assured.

Several countries such as the Netherlands, Denmark, Romania, are seeking to help Ukraine train its F-16 pilots after the green light given by the United States.

Since the start of the Russian invasion of Ukraine on February 24, 2022, France has trained 10,000 Ukrainian soldiers on its national territory and in Poland.< /p>