Al Mayadeen English

  • Ar
  • Es
  • x
Al Mayadeen English

Slogan

  • News
    • Politics
    • Economy
    • Sports
    • Arts&Culture
    • Health
    • Miscellaneous
    • Technology
    • Environment
  • Articles
    • Opinion
    • Analysis
    • Blog
    • Features
  • Videos
    • NewsFeed
    • Video Features
    • Explainers
    • TV
    • Digital Series
  • Infographs
  • In Pictures
  • • LIVE
News
  • Politics
  • Economy
  • Sports
  • Arts&Culture
  • Health
  • Miscellaneous
  • Technology
  • Environment
Articles
  • Opinion
  • Analysis
  • Blog
  • Features
Videos
  • NewsFeed
  • Video Features
  • Explainers
  • TV
  • Digital Series
Infographs
In Pictures
  • Africa
  • Asia
  • Asia-Pacific
  • Europe
  • Latin America
  • MENA
  • Palestine
  • US & Canada
BREAKING
Local sources: Civilians, including children and women, were injured in the al-Maqous neighborhood of Sweida, in Syria, as a result of ongoing clashes
Israeli media outlet: Security incident reported in the Gaza Strip
Iranian Foreign Ministry spokesperson: No new date or venue has been set for the meeting between Araghchi and Witkoff, and no negotiations will take place until the outcome is guaranteed
Palestinian platforms: Settlers storm Al-Aqsa Mosque complex under the protection of the occupation police
Palestinian platforms: The IOF detonated a booby-trapped robot east of the al-Zaytoun neighborhood, south of Gaza City
Syrian Defense: We call on all parties in Sweida to cooperate with security forces and exercise restraint
Al Mayadeen's correspondent: The Lebanese Army is continuing its investigations and will later announce any information that does not affect the confidentiality of the investigation
Al Mayadeen's correspondent: It has not yet been determined whether the detainees belong to ISIS or another organization
Al Mayadeen's correspondent: Around 10 people of different nationalities, including Lebanese nationals, were detained
Al Mayadeen's correspondent: The Lebanese army arrested a number of people in the Matn area of Mount Lebanon with possession it has not disclosed

No update on allies' plans to train Ukrainians on F-16s: Pentagon

  • By Al Mayadeen English
  • Source: Agencies
  • 3 Aug 2023 17:11
3 Min Read

This comes as the US, on July 16, said it granted permission to its European partners to commence training Ukrainian pilots on flying F-16 fighter jets. 

  • x
  • US fighter aircraft F-16 performs aerobatic maneuvers on the last day of Aero India 2019 at Yelahanka in Bangalore, India, February 19, 2019. (AP)
    US fighter aircraft F-16 performs aerobatic maneuvers on the last day of Aero India 2019 at Yelahanka in Bangalore, India, February 19, 2019. (AP)

A Pentagon source told Sputnik on Thursday that there are still no updates on whether European allies have established a plan of action to train Ukrainian pilots to use F-16 fighter planes. 

"The US will support a joint effort to train Ukrainian pilots on fourth-generation fighter aircraft, including F-16s, as part of our long-term commitment to Ukraine’s self-defense. We have no new announcements to make regarding this effort today," the spokesperson said.

On July 16, the US said it granted permission to its European partners to commence training Ukrainian pilots on fly F-16 fighter jets. 

White House National Security Advisor Jake Sullivan confirmed the decision on Sunday and emphasized the US commitment to providing the necessary tools for the training program.

"The president has given the green light, and we will allow, permit, support, facilitate, and, in fact, provide the necessary tools for Ukrainians to begin being trained on F-16s as soon as Europeans are prepared," Jake Sullivan told CNN. 

European officials then said that the training program is expected to begin in August in Denmark, and a training facility is set to be established in Romania.

Read more: West knew Kiev lacked preparedness for counteroffensive: WSJ

Related News

Pentagon official assessment shifted US focus from Ukraine to China

Pentagon still cannot confirm Iran nuclear sites destruction

On July 23, US Secretary of State Antony Blinken indicated that Washington is estimating that the Ukrainian counteroffensive will not reach its final stage in the coming weeks and may take several months more, admitting that the counteroffensive has been going "tough".

"These are still relatively early days of the counteroffensive. It is tough… It will not play out over the next week or two. We're still looking, I think, at several months," Blinken told CNN.

US sources reported on Tuesday that the US is still waiting for its European allies to finalize their plan to instruct Ukrainian pilots on F-16 fighter jets. Washington will first have to greenlight the plan before the program can be launched. 

On Monday, Ukrainian Defense Minister Oleksii Reznikov said Ukrainian pilots would start their training on F-16 fighter jets this month.  

Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov said in July that Russia will consider the presence of F-16 fighter jets in Ukraine sent from the West as a "nuclear" threat due to their capacity to carry atomic weapons, therefore representing a direct threat to Russia.

"Russia cannot ignore the ability of these aircraft to carry nuclear weapons. No amount of assurances will help here," Lavrov was quoted as saying by the Russian Foreign Ministry.  

"In the course of combat operations, our servicemen are not going to sort out whether each particular aircraft of this type is equipped to deliver nuclear weapons or not." 

"We will regard the very fact that the Ukrainian armed forces have such systems as a threat from the West in the nuclear sphere."  

Read more: West 'playing with fire' over plans to send F-16s to Ukraine: Lavrov

  • Pentagon
  • Ukraine
  • F-16 Fighters
  • European Union

Most Read

Hezbollah SG reveals war details on Al Mayadeen for the first time

Hezbollah SG reveals war details on Al Mayadeen for the first time

  • Politics
  • 8 Jul 2025
Major ambush in Gaza kills 6 Israeli troops, injures dozens

Major ambush in Gaza kills 5 Israeli troops, injures 14

  • Politics
  • 8 Jul 2025
Israeli soldiers are seen in Beit Hanoun ahead of an operation by the al-Qassam Brigades, undated (Al-Qassam Brigades Military Media)

'Israel' on blast as media exposes report discrepancies in Gaza ambush

  • Palestine
  • 8 Jul 2025
Yemen Navy sinks ETERNITY C ship, shares footage of operation

Yemen Navy sinks ETERNITY C ship, shares footage of operation

  • Politics
  • 9 Jul 2025

Coverage

All
The Ummah's Martyrs

Read Next

All
The Freedom Flotilla ship Handala as it departs for Gaza, where it aims to break the maritime blockade at a port in Syracuse, Sicily in southern Italy on July 13, 2025. (AFP)
Palestine

Freedom Flotilla's Handala departs Sicily in bid to break Gaza siege

The container ship CMA CGM Laperouse, left, docks at the Georgia Ports Authority's Port of Savannah, Sept. 29, 2021, in Savannah, Ga (AP)
Politics

US shipbuilding woes deepen as tariffs, outdated policies backfire

Gaza war raises ethical questions for ex-Obama, Biden officials
Politics

Mercenary firm tied to Gaza war crimes hires Obama-Biden PR operatives

'Israel' targets children in Gaza collecting water
Palestine

'Israel' strikes Gaza kids fetching water, blames it on 'malfunction'

Al Mayadeen English

Al Mayadeen is an Arab Independent Media Satellite Channel.

All Rights Reserved

  • x
  • Privacy Policy
  • About Us
  • Contact Us
  • Authors
Android
iOS