COPENHAGEN: Denmark‘s authorities stated Monday that the coaching of Ukrainian pilots on F-16 jets has began and the retirement of Scandinavian nation’s fleet of getting old US fighters has been moved up two years.
The alternative fighters, F-35s, will likely be operative by 2025, appearing Defence Minister Troels Lund Poulsen stated. Initially, the change was deliberate for 2027.
Lund Poulsen stated that NATO-member Denmark “has taken the step of beginning a coaching and additional training effort for the Ukrainian pilots.”
“We may also think about whether or not we should always make a concrete donation to Ukraine of the Danish F-16 fighters, and what number of there needs to be,” he stated.
Ukrainian pilots should spend six to eight months of coaching earlier than a potential donation of Danish F-16 plane can change into a actuality, Lund Poulsen informed Danish broadcaster DR.
“This doesn’t imply that you simply can not decide beforehand. However (the F-16 planes) will likely be in Denmark till 2024,” Lund Poulsen stated.
Denmark has ordered 27 F-35A fighter jets, which is able to change the greater than 40-year-old F-16s, of which Denmark has 30 operative planes.
The change to the F-35A Joint Strike Fighter jets is going down from late 2023 to the top of 2025.
Ukraine has lengthy requested for Western fighter jets to assist it resist the full-scale Russian invasion, which started in February 2022.
Initially reluctant, the US and different NATO international locations just lately agreed to permit Ukrainian pilots to obtain coaching to on F-16 fighters, although none has but dedicated at hand over any planes. (AP)
The alternative fighters, F-35s, will likely be operative by 2025, appearing Defence Minister Troels Lund Poulsen stated. Initially, the change was deliberate for 2027.
Lund Poulsen stated that NATO-member Denmark “has taken the step of beginning a coaching and additional training effort for the Ukrainian pilots.”
“We may also think about whether or not we should always make a concrete donation to Ukraine of the Danish F-16 fighters, and what number of there needs to be,” he stated.
Ukrainian pilots should spend six to eight months of coaching earlier than a potential donation of Danish F-16 plane can change into a actuality, Lund Poulsen informed Danish broadcaster DR.
“This doesn’t imply that you simply can not decide beforehand. However (the F-16 planes) will likely be in Denmark till 2024,” Lund Poulsen stated.
Denmark has ordered 27 F-35A fighter jets, which is able to change the greater than 40-year-old F-16s, of which Denmark has 30 operative planes.
The change to the F-35A Joint Strike Fighter jets is going down from late 2023 to the top of 2025.
Ukraine has lengthy requested for Western fighter jets to assist it resist the full-scale Russian invasion, which started in February 2022.
Initially reluctant, the US and different NATO international locations just lately agreed to permit Ukrainian pilots to obtain coaching to on F-16 fighters, although none has but dedicated at hand over any planes. (AP)
