Defense Ministry creates special structure that will integrate F-16 fighters into AFU

In order to quickly and effectively integrate F-16 Fighting Falcon multi-purpose fighters into the Armed Forces of Ukraine, the Ministry of Defense of Ukraine has created a special structure.

First Deputy Minister of Defense, Lieutenant General Oleksandr Pavliuk announced this on his Facebook page.

According to him, the F-16 integration program will have two stages of deployment:

• "fast track," calculated until the end of 2024;
• "scaling."

The main directions of the program will be:

• support and development of aviation base infrastructure;
• their protection, including air defense systems;
• selection and training of flight personnel, as well as other aviation personnel;
• aircraft life cycle support and logistics support;
• international communication and other administrative, legal and financial functions.

"The development of tactical aviation capabilities of the Air Force of the Armed Forces of Ukraine, and at the same time the rearmament of aviation brigades, is one of our key priorities. As of November 2023, with the assistance of foreign experts in Ukraine, the assessment of airfields for multi-purpose fighters continues, and the first Ukrainian pilots and engineers continue their training on the F-16,″ Pavliuk wrote.

As Ukrainian News Agency earlier reported, on November 10, the Air Force of the Armed Forces of Ukraine announced that Ukrainian pilots began practical exercises on F-16 fighters.

Recall that at the end of October 2023, the U.S. ambassador to Ukraine announced that flight training of Ukrainian pilots on the F-16 is taking place in the U.S. state of Arizona.