2023-08-12 00:49:11
As reported by the Washington Post, pilot training for the F-16 fighter jets that NATO has promised Ukraine is facing challenges of delay and uncertainty. The source says that currently only six pilots are able to successfully pass the first phase of training (which does not include combat training), while two others have been identified as reserve candidates.
A complex additional element is the need for pilots to participate in four-month English language courses in the UK in order to acquire specific aircraft-related terminology. This initiative also aims to improve the language skills of ground support personnel.
This series of factors has led to a postponement in the start of operational training, originally scheduled for a period of six months, which could be moved to January. That said, it is estimated that the first group of pilots will complete their training by the summer of 2024, while the second group could only reach full preparation towards the end of the following year.
Doubts of the US leadership also on the effectiveness of the entire war effort, despite no significant rethinking:
The conflicting narratives underscore the ongoing friction between Kiev and its supporters over how best to position Ukraine for success against a much larger and better armed Russian force. It also highlights the divisions among those same supporters, as a small number of European allies push to give Ukraine the maximum capabilities for its defense and the Biden administration, by far the largest donor of military equipment, cautiously weighs the next steps.
Washington Post
As reported by the Washington Post, pilot training for the F-16 fighter jets that NATO has promised Ukraine is facing challenges of delay and uncertainty. The source says that currently only six pilots are able to successfully pass the first phase of training (which does not include combat training), while two others have been identified as reserve candidates.
A complex additional element is the need for pilots to participate in four-month English language courses in the UK in order to acquire specific aircraft-related terminology. This initiative also aims to improve the language skills of ground support personnel.
This series of factors has led to a postponement in the start of operational training, originally scheduled for a period of six months, which could be moved to January. That said, it is estimated that the first group of pilots will complete their training by the summer of 2024, while the second group could only reach full preparation towards the end of the following year.
Doubts of the US leadership also on the effectiveness of the entire war effort, despite no significant rethinking:
The conflicting narratives underscore the ongoing friction between Kiev and its supporters over how best to position Ukraine for success against a much larger and better armed Russian force. It also highlights the divisions among those same supporters, as a small number of European allies push to give Ukraine the maximum capabilities for its defense and the Biden administration, by far the largest donor of military equipment, cautiously weighs the next steps.
Washington Post
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