Ukraine Accelerates F-16 Pilot Training

The Ukrainian Deputy Defense Minister, Brig. Gen. Serhiy Melnyk said on Thursday the country will reduce the F-16 pilot training program. Ukraine will shave three months off the scheduled training period in order to get its pilots flying their new aircraft sooner. Ukraine lost its first F-16 as it was intercepting missiles and drones over Ukraine. It is unclear what brought it down, although one suggestion was that it collided with a slow-flying drone. The second batch of Danish F-16s was delivered on 7 December last year.