Denmark says it has begun training Ukrainian pilots on F-16s

COPENHAGEN, Denmark

Denmark announced Monday that it has begun training Ukrainian pilots on F-16 fighter jets as it moved up the retirement of its fleet of aging US fighters by two years.

Acting Defense Minister Troels Lund Poulsen said the country has decided to retire its aging F-16 fleet as the replacement jets – F-35s – will be functionally operative by 2025 rather than 2027 as previously scheduled.

“We will also consider whether we should make a concrete donation to Ukraine of Danish F-16 fighters and how many there should be,” he said while speaking to Danish broadcaster DR.

Lund Poulsen said the country “has taken the step of starting training and further education efforts for the Ukrainian pilots.”

He said the Ukrainian fighter pilots would spend at least six to eight months in training before the F-16 aircraft donations would be made.

“This does not mean that you cannot make a decision beforehand. But (the F-16 planes) will be in Denmark until 2024,” he added.

Denmark has ordered 27 F-35A aircraft in a bid to replace at least 30 operative F-16s. The change in the fleet is expected to take place from late 2023 to the end of 2025.

The donation of the F-16s is being considered at the request of Kyiv to obtain air support assistance from its Western allies in its ongoing conflict with Russia.