English language coaching shall be required for Kiev’s pilots, Deputy Press Secretary Sabrina Singh says
The US has acquired requests from the Netherlands and Denmark to switch F-16 fighter jets to Ukraine, however Kiev should meet “sure standards” earlier than they’re accepted, a Pentagon spokesperson has stated.
“To ensure that the third-party switch to be accomplished there are particular standards that should be met, together with the English language coaching, different issues like logistics on the bottom,” Deputy Press Secretary Sabrina Singh defined throughout a briefing on Monday.
She stated the extent of language coaching that Ukrainian pilots require was “important,” including that this course of is “going to take a while.”
In early August, Politico reported that F-16 coaching for Ukrainians offered by European international locations might be impeded by the language barrier. Based on the outlet’s sources, solely eight out of the primary group of 32 pilots chosen to fly the US-designed fourth technology fighter jets had adequate information of English for them to participate in this system.
“So as soon as that standards is met, we’ll be ready to authorize the switch,” the deputy press secretary added.
Singh additionally confirmed that the US was “open” to the thought of coaching Ukrainian airmen to fly the F-16s within the occasion that the Netherlands and Denmark lacked the capability to show the entire pilots despatched by Kiev directly.
It’ll be as much as Ukraine to determine what number of of its pilots are going to obtain F-16 coaching, she stated, including that Kiev nonetheless hasn’t give you the ultimate quantity.
On Sunday, each the Netherlands and Denmark introduced that they would offer Ukraine with F-16s, which Kiev had been demanding for months amid its battle with Russia.
The Netherlands, which has 42 F-16 jets, didn’t say what number of it will donate, however Ukrainian chief Vladimir Zelensky claimed that the entire fleet could be heading to Kiev. Denmark promised to provide 19 planes to Ukraine, six of which shall be offered by the tip of the yr.
In June, Russian President Vladimir Putin stated the F-16s “will burn” as soon as they’re delivered to Ukraine, identical to the Leopard-2 tanks, Bradley combating autos and different Western-supplied weapons that have been beforehand equipped.
Moscow has repeatedly warned that provides of extra subtle weapons to Ukraine by the US and its allies might cross its ‘purple strains’ and end in a serious escalation of hostilities. Russia argues that the supply of arms, intelligence sharing and coaching to Kiev’s troops already signifies that Western nations are de facto events to the battle.
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