Training fighter pilots is an extremely delicate task that takes and time. US Air Force Reserve Colonel Jeffrey Fisher commented to LIGA.net on the training of Ukrainian pilots in the US and whether the F-16 fighter jets that Kiev is expected to receive soon are better than Russian warplanes.
„Government sources have confirmed to me that the United States is reluctant to prioritize training Ukrainian pilots at this time. There are countries that have been in the queue for a long time. That is why, for example, Bulgaria or Slovakia now have priority in the US curriculum. But when peaceful countries have an advantage over a country at war, it is difficult to understand”, said the American aviator.
For example, Ukraine has been promised 60 planes, for which at least 120 pilots must be trained. Kiev says it already has 30 pilots trained.
Jeffrey Fisher, who has served in NATO operations in Yugoslavia, Iraq and Afghanistan, does not understand why the US government has been so slow in approving F-16 fighter jets (from NATO allies) to be sent to Ukraine.
„Let me be clear right away: The United States has not offered [Ukraine] the F-16. All of them are proposed by NATO. Something is happening in the National Security Council and in the closed talks with the Russian Federation. This raises serious concerns among Biden that Moscow will view the F-16 as an escalation. It is good that Washington allowed at least a limited launch of ATACMS missiles against the Russian Federation. Although, in my opinion, the restrictions are still too big. Russia is an existential threat to the existence of Ukraine. If the Ukrainian General Staff sees legitimate targets, it should be able to hit them”, the American pilot said.
According to him, the F-16 fighters are not miracle weapons, but they will immediately affect what is happening on the front. According to him, even the most modern Russian fighter Su-57 cannot gain an advantage in a fight against the already outdated Western F-16.
„I hope that when the F-16 and the French Mirage 2000 arrive in Ukraine in significant numbers, the Ukrainian armed forces will achieve air superiority. Ukrainian ground forces will be able to stabilize the front. I hope the Ukrainian command will analyze its mistakes and draw the right conclusions. The Ukrainian army is learning well,”, said Jeffrey Fisher.
Regarding the constant threats coming from Moscow to NATO, the former US airman said: "My combat experience shows that those who make loud threats rarely do anything. Announcing your actions is a bad idea unless it's a bluff".
Jeffrey Fisher also commented on the possibility that one day Western military pilots would fly over the skies of Ukraine as mercenaries: "If I were a pilot going to Ukraine, I would be very hesitant. Not out of fear of the Russians or reluctance to fly an F-16 in a combat zone. Not because of doubts about Ukraine's success. But only because the United States will force pilots in Ukraine to fight with one hand tied behind their back. When Russian planes have a safe place to fly from anywhere on their side of the border, and Ukraine can't do anything about it, that's an unfair advantage. I want a fair fight if I risk my life".
Last month, bTV reported that 7 Bulgarian pilots are being trained in the USA to pilot the new F-16 aircraft. Captain Metodi Ivanov is in the group of Bulgarian pilots who are in the USA to learn the F-16. American pilots are also trained under this program. “We are equal to all the other pilots, our only advantage is that most of us have some experience in flying an airplane before coming, which is a big plus“, said Captain Metodi Ivanov.
First, the pilots train on training aircraft such as the T-6 and T-38. “The air is the same, the aerodynamics are the same, the handling of the aircraft is similar, so the transition whether from a MiG-29, whether from a training aircraft, whether from a transport aircraft – it won't be that hard,” says the captain. After the training planes, the pilots sit in the cockpit of the F-16 fighter jet. “The ones we will get will be new. Much more modern in terms of avionics and weapons it can carry. The technology is different, our fighters are of a different generation. The one coming is of a newer, advanced generation. Better than the ones we have now”, said Captain Metodi Ivanov.