Ukrainian pilots, engineers and technicians have already started training on F-16 fighter jets, Defence Minister Oleksiy Reznikov has told Channel 24.
The training programme includes English language learning, as the basic level of foreign language is not enough for specialists.
The minimum training period for pilots is six months, while it is not known how long engineers and technicians will have to study. The length of time for pilots was calculated after two Ukrainian specialists were tested in the United States. The optimal minimum was determined based on their level of training.
"Someone may be able to do it faster. People are gifted. But to avoid any illusions, it may happen that some pilots will be ready in five months, while engineers and technicians will not be ready by the time. And an aircraft is a very complex system. One pilot is not enough," Reznikov said.
The instructors will announce the completion of the training after they see how the Ukrainian pilots, engineers and technicians master the new skills and interact with each other.
"This period of training will be spent on continuing the project to understand when we will have the aircraft in the field. And most importantly, how many," he added.
He noted that it is also important what weapons the fighters will have. When Ukraine's partners decide to provide the aircraft, they will seek the consent of the United States.
"Each country will receive such permission and say: 'I am ready to provide this number of aircraft.' Accordingly, with spare parts and the possibility of support. 'I am ready to transfer this number of missiles or bombs or something else.' Then the second part of the project will be clear," Reznikov said.
Interviewed on the news telethon, Ukrainian Air Force Commander Mykola Oleshchuk said that pilots who graduated in 2016 and 2023 had gone to the UK and Sweden for training.
"I have decided to send pilots of this year's class to the UK for training. As for Sweden, the young pilots of 2016 with sufficient combat experience went there, the training system is quite flexible, the instructors test each pilot to see what he is capable of," Oleshchuk said.
According to him, after the relevant tests, two Ukrainian pilots showed that they were ready to master F-16 fighter jets in four months, not 32.