F-16 training coalition

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F-16 training coalition
NicknameOcean's 11[1]
Formation11 July 2023; 9 months ago (2023-07-11)
Founders Denmark
 Netherlands
Founded atVilnius, Lithuania
TypeMilitary coalition
Legal statusActive
PurposeTraining of F-16 pilots and ground personnel
Area served
NATO and allied countries
Membership
14 countries and  Ukraine
List

The F-16 training coalition is an international coalition formed on 11 July 2023 during the Vilnius Summit with the task of training F-16 pilots, technicians, and support personnel for the Ukrainian Air Force. It originally consisted of 11 nations: Denmark, the Netherlands, Belgium, Canada, Luxembourg, Norway, Poland, Portugal, Romania, Sweden, and the United Kingdom, as well as Ukraine.[2] The group was nicknamed the "Ocean's 11" by Ukrainian Minister of Defence Oleksii Reznikov, in reference to the American film Ocean's Eleven.[1] On 22 August, it was announced that Greece had also joined the coalition, while on 24 August, the United States announced it joined the training efforts as well.[3][4]

As part of the coalition efforts, a training hub will also be set up in Romania. The Netherlands, Romania, and Lockheed Martin will contribute to the creation and maintenance of this center.[5]

Before the Vilnius summit

In February 2023, Prime Minister Rishi Sunak announced the United Kingdom's intent to train Ukrainian pilots for the F-16 fighter. As the country does not operate the F-16, it could only provide elementary and basic flight training.[6] The British government also announced its intention to create an international coalition for providing Ukraine with air combat capabilities following a meeting between the British prime minister and his Dutch counterpart, Mark Rutte, at the Council of Europe summit in Iceland on 17 May.[7] Soon, the United States, Portugal, Denmark, and Belgium also declared that they would join the initiative.[8]

Later that month, it was reported that 20 Ukrainian pilots were to start their training in the UK. The training was to be limited to ground-based basics which would make the pilots ready for more specific F-16 training.[8] In June, the Dutch government submitted a plan according to which the Ukrainian pilots would take part in basic flight training and programs that would increase English language proficiency. According to this plan, a training center would also be established "in an eastern European NATO member state".[9] Speculations appeared soon after that the NATO member in question was Romania, with the defense news site Defense Romania noting that Romania was the single NATO country operating the F-16 in the region and that the establishment of such a center would also be beneficial for the country which bought 32 F-16s from Norway and faced challenges in training the required pilots.[10]

At the beginning of July, it was announced that the Romanian Ministry of Defence was to sign an agreement with Lockheed Martin for the establishment of an F-16 training center in Romania, on the condition that Romanian pilots were to have priority. This was confirmed by Ray Piselli, Vice President of International Affairs at Lockheed Martin, who said that the company received a request to set up a training center that will serve Romanian and allied pilots, with the expectation of including Ukrainian pilots as well.[11] On 6 July, following a meeting of the Romanian Supreme Council of National Defence ahead of the Vilnius Summit, Romania's possible participation in the international F-16 coalition and the hosting of the training center was further discussed and approved.[12]

The F-16 coalition

On 11 July, a memorandum was signed between 11 nations and Ukraine during the Vilnius Summit. As part of the signed memorandum, Ukrainian pilots, technicians, and support personnel will participate in the training program. The coalition consisted of Canada, Belgium, Denmark, Luxembourg, the Netherlands, Norway, Poland, Portugal, Romania, Sweden, and the United Kingdom.[2] According to the US Secretary of Defense Lloyd Austin, Denmark and the Netherlands took leadership of the formed coalition and the two nations are to outline the training plan.[13] At the end of August, eight Ukrainian pilots and 65 additional personnel, arrived in Denmark at the Skrydstrup Air Base to conduct trainig on basic tactical and technical levels.[14][15]

On 22 August, Ukrainian president Volodymyr Zelenskyy announced that Greece joined the coalition and will help with the training of Ukrainian pilots.[3][16] Two days later, the United States announced its participation in training Ukrainian pilots as well. As reported by the Department of Defense, training in the US is expected to start in October at the Morris Air National Guard Base.[4] A small number of Ukrainian pilots began training with the 162nd Wing around 25 October.[17]

Bulgarian Minister of Defence Todor Tagarev also announced his country's intention of joining the coalition and providing training for medical personnel and ground crews.[18] On 12 October, Tagarev signed a memorandum of cooperation with his Ukrainian counterpart which included assistance in English courses for the future Ukrainian F-16 pilots.[19]

France joined the F-16 coalition in 2024.[20] The country is to offer initial training for Ukrainian pilots before they could transfer for further fighter jet training offered by other coalition members.[21]

Letter of intent signed by Romania, the Netherlands, and Lockheed Martin

The training center

Main article: RoAF 86th Air Base § European F-16 Training Center

After the Vilnius Summit, it was announced that the F-16 Training Center in Romania would be located at the 86th Air Base of the Romanian Air Force in Fetești. The training hub is funded by all coalition members, while Romania provides the infrastructure of the base, the Netherlands will provide the F-16s for training, and Lockheed Martin will provide the instructors through its subcontractors, Draken International and Gesellschaft für Flugzieldarstellung (GFD) [de]. As agreed, Romanian pilots will start their training first, then the center will expand to include Ukrainian and other pilots.[22][23] Following the visit to Romania on 10 October, President Zelenskyy announced that it was agreed to speed up the process and Ukrainian pilots will be enrolled in the first wave of training.[24][25] According to Dutch Chief of Defence Onno Eichelsheim, the Ukrainian pilots are to begin training at the center in early 2024.[26]

At the end of August, it was reported that the Netherlands would initially bring 12 F-16s to the training center.[27] The number of F-16s could be further increase to 18 aircraft.[28] Before training could start, these aircraft will first be used for refresher training of the hired F-16 instructors. Training will be carried out only in NATO airspace.[29]

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy (right) with Dutch Minister of Defense Kajsa Ollongren at Eindhoven Air Base in the Netherlands

During the Informal Meeting of EU Defence Ministers in Toledo, Spain, a Letter of intent regarding the establishment of the F-16 Training Center in Romania was signed by the Romanian Minister of Defence Angel Tîlvăr with the Dutch Minister of Defence Kajsa Ollongren and Lockheed Martin executive Filippo Marchetti.[29] Romanian Prime Minister Marcel Ciolacu also confirmed that the necessary approvals for initiating the training were secured.[30]

The first aircraft arrived on 7 November, with the European F-16 Training Center being opened after an official ceremony on 13 November.[31][32][33]

F-16 supplied to Ukraine

On 17 August, the United States approved the donation of F-16 fighters to Ukraine from Denmark and the Netherlands.[34] The two countries subsequently announced their intention to supply Ukraine with 19 and 42 aircraft, respectively.[35] The first batch of 18 F-16s from the Netherlands was announced on 22 December. The aircraft might be delivered in the first half of 2024 according to Ukrainian Foreign Minister Dmytro Kuleba.[36] Norway has also announced its intention to donate F-16s to Ukraine, however, no numbers have been revealed yet.[37]

On 11 October, it was announced that Belgium will supply an undisclosed number of F-16 fighters to Ukraine. The aircraft will not be delivered until 2025.[38]

According to the Danish Defense Minister, Ukraine is set to receive the first F-16s in the summer of 2024 if the preparations proceed accordingly. A previous statement by the Lithuanian Defense Minister Arvydas Anušauskas and an unnamed official, said that Ukraine could receive the first airplanes around June. This statement, although not officially confirmed, was not dismissed by Yurii Ihnat, the spokesman of the Ukrainian Air Force.[39]

References

  1. ^ a b Shukla, Sebastian; Marquardt, Alex (23 July 2023). "Ukrainian defense minister says F-16 training will start in August, with pilots in the skies next year". CNN.
  2. ^ a b "In Vilnius, Oleksii Reznikov signed the Memorandum on the establishing of the coalition for the training Ukrainian pilots for the F-16". mil.gov.ua. 2023-07-11.
  3. ^ a b Voichuk, Iryna (22 August 2023). "Greece joins Ukraine's F-16 fighter jet coalition". Euromaidan Press.
  4. ^ a b Clark, Joseph (24 August 2023). "U.S. Will Train Ukrainian F-16 Pilots, Ground Crews". defense.gov.
  5. ^ Petrișor, Adelin (14 July 2023). "Centrul pentru pregătirea piloţilor de F-16 de la Fetești, organizat de România, Olanda şi o companie americană". TVR (in Romanian).
  6. ^ Chuter, Andrew (15 May 2023). "Britain to train Ukrainian pilots, supply more missiles and drones". defensenews.com.
  7. ^ Iordan, Nicolae (17 May 2023). "Marea Britanie intenționează să formeze o "coaliție internațională" pentru a înarma Ucraina cu F-16". DefenseRomania (in Romanian).
  8. ^ a b "Media: First 20 Ukrainian pilots to enter F-16 training in UK". The Kyiv Independent. 25 May 2023.
  9. ^ "Training of Ukrainian F-16 pilots to start in the coming months". english.defensie.nl. 15 June 2023.
  10. ^ Mureșan, Darius (15 June 2023). "Piloții ucraineni de F-16, pregătiți în România? S-a confirmat oficial crearea unui centru de pregătire de F-16 în Europa de Est". DefenseRomania (in Romanian).
  11. ^ "Centru Regional de Pregătire pentru piloții de F16, în România. Care sunt condițiile puse de Ministerul Apărării și cât de aproape suntem de semnarea unui acord cu americanii". TVR (in Romanian). 4 July 2023.
  12. ^ Mihăescu, Alexandru (6 July 2023). "România vrea să deschidă un centru de instruire a piloților de avioane F-16 unde să se antreneze și piloți din Ucraina – decizie CSAT". G4media (in Romanian).
  13. ^ Gordon, Chris (15 June 2023). "NATO Allies Reveal New Details on Ukrainian F-16 Training". airandspaceforces.com.
  14. ^ "Group of 11 countries forms coalition for training Ukrainian pilots on F-16 fighters". Ukrainska Pravda. 11 July 2023.
  15. ^ Johannes Birkebaek (22 August 2023). "Eight Ukrainian pilots begin F-16 training in Denmark". Reuters.
  16. ^ "Greece to train Ukrainian F-16 pilots, Zelenskiy says". Reuters. 21 August 2023.
  17. ^ Liebermann, Oren (25 October 2023). "Ukrainian pilots begin F-16 training in US". CNN.
  18. ^ Mureșan, Darius (31 August 2023). "Bulgaria vrea în "Ocean's 11", coaliția F-16 pentru Ucraina. Vecinii României de la sud de Dunăre – gata să pregătească tehnicieni de F-16" (in Romanian).
  19. ^ "France to join training of Ukrainian fighter pilots in 2024". Ukrainska Pravda. 12 October 2023.
  20. ^ Khalilova, Dinara (17 January 2024). "F-16s for Ukraine: When will they arrive and what can they do?". The Kyiv Independent.
  21. ^ "Bulgaria will help Ukrainian F-16 pilots learn English". Ukrainska Pravda. 19 December 2023.
  22. ^ Petrișor, Adelin (14 July 2023). "Centrul pentru pregătirea piloților de F-16 de la Fetești, organizat de România, Olanda și o companie americană". TVR (in Romanian).
  23. ^ Goanță, Horațiu (14 November 2023). "Inaugurarea Centrului European de Instruire F-16 din România, la Baza 86". aviatiamagazin.com (in Romanian).
  24. ^ "Zelensky, Iohannis agree to speed up F-16 training of Ukrainian pilots". ukrinform.net. 10 October 2023.
  25. ^ Zelenskyy, Volodymyr [@ZelenskyyUa] (October 10, 2023). "There is a very important decision: in Romania, pilots will be trained to operate F-16s" (Tweet) – via Twitter.
  26. ^ "Romania Debuts F-16 Center, Hosts Ukrainian Pilots for Joint Exercises". mil.in.ua. 14 November 2023.
  27. ^ Petrișor, Adelin (12 August 2023). "Primii opt piloți ucraineni de F-16 vor pilota aeronavele americane în vara lui 2024". TVR (in Romanian).
  28. ^ Petrișor, Adelin (12 August 2023). "Olanda va aduce în baza aeriană Fetești 12 avioane F-16, la Centrul regional de antrenament". TVR (in Romanian).
  29. ^ a b "Lockheed Martin gaat F-16-trainingen verzorgen in Roemenië". defensie.nl (in Dutch). 29 August 2023.
  30. ^ Díaz, Pablo (30 August 2023). "F-16 Training Center Established in Romania for Ukrainian Pilots; Netherlands, Lockheed Martin Set to Collaborate". Aviacionline.
  31. ^ "The first five aircraft of the European F-16 Training Center landed in Fetești". mapn.ro. 7 November 2023.
  32. ^ "Nederlandse F-16's op weg naar trainingscentrum in Roemenië". defensie.nl (in Dutch). 7 November 2023.
  33. ^ Court, Elsa (13 November 2023). "Training center for Ukrainian F-16 pilots opens in Romania". The Kyiv Independent.
  34. ^ Holland, Steve; Ali, Idrees (18 August 2023). "US approves sending F-16s to Ukraine from Denmark and Netherlands". Reuters.
  35. ^ "Denmark and Netherlands pledge to give F-16 fighter jets to Ukraine as Zelenskyy visits". Euronews. 20 August 2023.
  36. ^ "No F-16s in 2023 says Air Force". The New Voice of Ukraine. 25 December 2023.
  37. ^ Chiappa, Claudia (25 August 2023). "US sets date to train Ukrainian F-16 pilots as Norway pledges jets". Politico.
  38. ^ Gosselin-Malo, Elisabeth (11 October 2023). "Belgium agrees to send F-16s to Ukraine, but not before 2025". defensenews.com.
  39. ^ Khalilova, Dinara (22 February 2024). "Denmark confirms Ukraine set to receive first F-16 jets this summer". The Kyiv Independent.
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