Ukraine Moves a Step Closer to F-16s as Kyiv's 'Top Guns' Graduate

A batch of Ukrainian future F-16 fighter pilots have graduated from a British military flight school, putting them one step closer to flying the U.S.-made jets that Kyiv has so long advocated for.

The British Defense Ministry announced on Friday that the first 10 Ukrainian pilots to have undertaken "intensive training" with Royal Air Force instructors had graduated from flight school and will now proceed to an advanced flight training program provided by the French air force. After that, the pilots will be instructed on F-16s.

"The 10 pilots received basic flying, ground school and language training in the UK and will one day form the first line of defense in protecting Ukraine's skies from [Russian President Vladimir] Putin's forces," a Defense Ministry press release said.

Defense Minister Grant Shapps said the pilots "have received some of the best training available and are now a step closer to joining the fight against Putin's illegal invasion."

"The U.K. has led the way in building Ukraine's air capabilities over the last two years, enhancing its aircraft with additional equipment, as well as being the first nation to provide long-range cruise missiles to Ukraine," Shapps added.

"Ukraine has been using its air force to devastating effect, degrading the Russian Black Sea Fleet and severely damaging its headquarters," he said. "This milestone is another step forward for Ukraine's aerial capabilities—together with our allies we are showing that we will continue to stand by Ukraine's side."

The U.K. is one member of the Air Capability Coalition—a grouping co-led by the U.S., Denmark and the Netherlands—which is preparing Ukrainian pilots and support personnel to operate F-16s.

The coalition is due to deliver the first batch of combat jets to Ukraine by summer 2024, though the delivery schedule has been repeatedly extended amid political and logistical wrangling.

Kyiv has urged its Western partners to accelerate the process of training and arming its "Top Guns," as Ukraine's Defense Ministry has referred to its experienced pilots. Ukrainian warnings have become ever more pointed as Russian missiles continue to bombard cities and Russian bombers exact a high price on front line units using long-range glide bomb strikes.

A batch of 12 Ukrainian pilots are slated to undergo training in the U.S. this year, with Air National Guard director Lt. Gen. Michael Loh telling reporters in February that the first four were "pretty close" to the end of their instruction.

All 12 are expected to graduate between May and August. Loh said in September that it would take between three and nine months for pilots to complete their F-16 training, with the first four already flying the aircraft solo "every day."

Elsewhere, Denmark began training the first eight of its Ukrainian F-16 candidates in August, just one month after the U.S. gave the green light for the fighter platform to be provided to Ukraine. Denmark is also training at least 65 support crew who will maintain the aircraft.

Denmark, the Netherlands, Norway and Belgium have between them committed around 45 F-16s to Ukraine, which The New York Times reported is enough to form three small squadrons.

Russian officials have framed all Western military aid as prolonging and escalating the war Putin started in February 2022. The full-scale invasion was itself an escalation of a conflict simmering since Moscow's annexation of Crimea and fomentation of revolt in the Donbas in 2014.