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The French Air and Space Force has committed to training 26 Ukrainian F-16 pilots within two years, Le Monde reported on June 17.
The report indicates that currently, 10 Ukrainian pilots, aged 21 to 23, are undergoing training in southwestern France. The name of the airbase where the training is taking place is not being disclosed for security reasons.
Some of the pilots in the program have "never flown" before, while others have experience flying the Czech-made L-39 Albatros training aircraft.
The newspaper also reports that the Ukrainian pilots are training on Dassault Alpha Jets, rather than the F-16s they will eventually fly in Ukraine. However, the advantage of the Alpha Jets is that their instrument panels can simulate those of the F-16s.
The French training program is described as the "culmination" of a long process that began in May 2023, when Kyiv’s allies agreed to provide Ukraine with a fleet of modern aircraft.
On June 6, French President Emmanuel Macron announced that the country would send Ukraine an unspecified number of Mirage 2000 aircraft.
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