Ukraine needs to reduce training on F-16 fighter jets, expand the base for F-16 training, and increase the number of aircraft in the near future, not in 3-5 years. This was stated by President Volodymyr Zelenskyy during a press conference, according to a UNN correspondent.
Everything that comes to Ukraine strengthens us, not the other way around. The decision on F-16s is strategic. The number is not strategic yet. There is a serious number of aircraft that I have agreed with other countries. After my agreements, there are some processes on both sides. We have pilots. You know that you can't remove all or most of the combat pilots, because they are fulfilling their tasks today - protecting our skies. That's why there are some pilots who are being trained... The training takes place in different countries in Europe and the United States. We will receive a certain number of aircraft in the summer and by the end of the year we will receive more aircraft
He said that he could not say how many fighters there would be, but they would not be enough.
They will definitely strengthen us, but will these planes be enough to fight on a par with the Russian air force? I think it will not be enough. Are we counting on more? Yes, we have talked to the president and the Congress. You know why I started working with local authorities in the United States, because they have a lot of influence on the Congress and on the central government. Because in some states there are key production facilities for airplanes, Patriot, etc. And when we come to an agreement from the bottom, they then have the appropriate signals, influence on other people in the US government
He also said that Ukraine needs to increase the number of fighter jets in the near future.
We need to reduce training on the F-16, we need to expand the training base for the F-16, we need to increase the number of aircraft in the near future, not in three, four, five years. We raise all these questions, and we get answers to all these questions. Probably not always the answers we want to hear today. Tomorrow there may be other answers. We need to work on this every day. We are also working on other aircraft. You will hear about the result soon
Спочатку буде, як мінімум ланка F-16 - начальник авіації09.06.24, 18:17