Published September 13,2024
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The first group of Ukrainian pilots has began its F-16 fighter jet coaching at Romania’s regional hub this week, the NATO nation’s defence ministry instructed AFP on Friday.
Since Russia’s invasion of Ukraine in 2022, Kyiv has been seeking to increase its air power, asking the West to donate superior army jets and sending pilots to coach in NATO international locations, together with France.
Romania inaugurated a hub for F-16 coaching at its Fetesti air base in November 2023, pledging to additionally practice Ukrainians there.
The first 4 Ukrainian pilots arrived earlier this week and have began their “theoretical training”, Romanian defence ministry spokesperson Constantin Spinu instructed AFP.
He stated that sensible coaching may start “towards the end of the year”.
Ukraine’s Defence Minister Rustem Umerov welcomed the programme on social media, saying it could be sure that there are “more F-16s in Ukrainian skies”.
The Fetesti hub is a part of the nation’s air base located about 150 kilometres outdoors the capital Bucharest, and was inaugurated after an settlement with the Netherlands was reached to make a number of F-16s accessible for coaching.
The planes are maintained by its US-based producer Lockheed Martin, who additionally gives the coaching.
The Romanian military has 26 F-16 jets in whole, of which 17 have been purchased from Portugal and 9 from Norway.
Norway is because of provide an additional 23 jets to Romania by the top of 2025.
Source: www.anews.com.tr