The United Kingdom has trained 200 Ukrainian aviators in preparation to operate F-16 fighter jets, the British Embassy in Ukraine announced on Tuesday.
The training, led by Royal Air Force (RAF) instructors in the U.K., included basic flying skills, ground school instruction and English language training, the embassy said in a Facebook post.
Aviators practiced general aircraft handling, instrument-based flying, low-level navigation and advanced formation flying, Ukrainian news agency Ukrinform reported.
The effort is part of ongoing international support for Ukraine as it modernizes its air capabilities amid the ongoing conflict with Russia.
The European F-16 Training Center (EFTC) in Romania, where Ukrainian pilots are also receiving instruction, has recently become fully operational, thanks to the Netherlands’ transfer of 18 F-16 fighters to the facility, Ukrinform said.
