As part of the Interstorm program, the Royal Air Force continues the next stage of training of Ukrainian pilots to pilot American F-16 fighters. Some media outlets have spread information about 32 F-16 Block 30s that will be or have already been transferred from Greece. However, according to Greek sources, this is not true.
Transmits UNN with reference to Le Monde, NOEL REPORTS and OnAlert.
Details
According to the French newspaper Le Monde, which cites training of Ukrainian pilots by Western allies, Greece is among the countries that will provide Ukraine with its fighter jets. Information about 32 F-16 Block 30s that may be transferred to Ukraine (or have already been received) is being circulated online.
According to Le Monde:
Training of Ukrainian pilots continues; ten soldiers from Ukraine will be trained by the Royal Air Force for six months, where they will learn the basics of fighter jet navigation and control.
The French edition of Le Monde writes:
The training (for pilots from Ukraine) lasts a total of eighteen months, which is shorter than the typical training of F-16 pilots (two years). The idea is to get young pilots ready for combat as soon as possible.
According to Le Monde, Ukraine has received about 70 F-16 aircraft (from Denmark, the Netherlands, or Greece).
NOEL REPORTS, a media platform for covering global conflict zones , does not see this information as credible:
The article refers only to promises by Denmark, the Netherlands and/or Greece to transfer F-16s, the latter of which has not been confirmed. There is no mention of Greece transferring 32 surplus F-16 Block 30 fighters, which was only a rumor in mid-2024.
The Greek media mention that Greek Defense Minister Nikos Dendias had previously stated that he wanted to transfer the F-16 as part of the overhaul of the Greek Air Force.
There were some speculations Greece would return these F-16's to US, to be upgraded, and sent to Ukraine. But this never got a confirmed follow-up.
Recall
Since the beginning of the full-scale invasion, Ukraine has received over 51 aircraft from partners, including MiG-29, Su-25, F-16, and Mirage-2000. Another 85 aircraft are planned to be transferred in the future.
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