WASHINGTON: A US Air Force general has said that F-16 fighter aircrafts NATO is sending to Ukraine will mostly be useful in the long term, Western media reported on Tuesday.
General David Allvin, the Air Force vice chief of staff at a Senate confirmation hearing added that additional training would be required to benefit the Ukraine’s forces.
However, he said the possible delivery would bring Ukraine to Western weapons platforms. He went on to say the US Air Force, is only effective if it is part of a joint force.
He was of the view the value of the F-16s will be more if integrated with a larger Ukrainian military.
Gen. David Allvin the top air force official has been nominated by President Biden to lead the Air Force. If confirmed, Allvin would become Air Force Chief of Staff Gen replacing CQ Brown, whom Biden nominated as the chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff.
Training important to achieve air superiority
He told Senate that training is more important to achieve air superiority adding that training is the integration of command-and-control elements with the joint force.
Last month Denmark and the Netherlands announced they would donate up to 61 F-16s to Ukraine after Biden authorized the transfer following months of pressure from NATO allies and U.S. lawmakers, including Manchin.
Read Also: Norway to Donate F-16 Fighter Jets to Ukraine
The U.S. will train Ukrainian pilots, which is likely to start in the coming weeks at Morris Air National Guard Base in Tucson, Arizona.
U.S. officials predicted the jets wouldn’t be ready for fight in Ukraine until mid-2024.
