The US Department of Defense is involved in training Ukrainian pilots on F-16s and aims to ensure the availability of spare parts to support the aircraft that will be sent to Ukraine. This was reported by the Voice of America.


"The Ministry of Defense is already involved in training ready-made Ukrainian pilots to fly the F-16. At the same time, the issue of providing Ukraine with spare parts for these aircraft is being resolved," the report said.


The Pentagon noted that earlier this year, the US State Department expressed its readiness to approve the transfer of US-made F-16 aircraft to Ukraine through a third party. The Netherlands, Denmark and Norway also expressed their intention to provide Ukraine with these aircraft.


"To ensure that Ukrainian pilots are successful in operating the F-16, they are trained in the United States and Europe in both flight operations and maintenance," the Pentagon said in a statement.


Bill LaPlante, the US Under Secretary of Defense for Acquisition and Sustainment, emphasized the importance of creating a stockpile of spare parts for the aircraft used by Ukrainian pilots, and pointed out that without such a stockpile, they could be taken out of service in just a few months. LaPlante emphasized the need to have a 90-day supply of spare parts and the readiness of the United States to provide them if other countries do not provide the necessary support.