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Fighting FalconF-16) is here, but Ukraine's biggest problem now is the lack of pilots. How to solve this problem? Ukraine has come up with a trick: recruit pilots who can fly the "Fighting Falcon" fighter from the international community. I have to say that this scene is very familiar, because during the Anti-Japanese War, China also had a "Flying Tigers" composed of international pilots. From this point of view, Kiev wants to form a Ukrainian version of the "Flying Tigers".

Ukraine has received its first batch of F-16 fighter jets, but lacks pilots

According to a report by Fox News, U.S. Senator Graham stated that Ukraine is seeking a "Flying Tigers", that is, recruiting volunteer pilots with experience in "Fighting Falcon" fighters to fly the "Fighting Falcon" fighters they obtained from the West and assist in training more qualified pilots.

I believe many people are familiar with the three words "Flying Tigers". During the Chinese War of Resistance Against Japanese Aggression, the United States formed the American Volunteer Team to Aid China by recruiting volunteer pilots and volunteer mechanics. Later, it became a synonym for volunteer pilots. There are many TV dramas about the "Flying Tigers". When mentioning the Flying Tigers, I am afraid that many people will think of Chennault. So why does Ukraine need a "Flying Tigers" this time and recruit pilots from the international community? It's simple. Ukraine lacks pilots, especially pilots who are familiar with flying the "Fighting Falcon" (F-16) fighter.

Recently, Ukraine finally got the first batch of pilots from the West. Zelensky also delivered a speech in front of the "Fighting Falcon" fighter. The "Fighting Falcon" fighter has arrived, but Ukraine is currently worried about one thing: there are fighter jets but no pilots.

The specific number of the first batch of "Fighting Falcon" fighters obtained by Ukraine is 10. According to the practice of 1 fighter with 2 pilots, Ukraine needs at least 20 pilots to fully fly these fighters. But before the arrival of the "Fighting Falcon" fighters,NATOIn other words, according to normal logic, if the pilots are used to the maximum, Ukraine can operate 6 fighters, but if they are used maturely, Ukraine can only use 3 "Fighting Falcons". The remaining fighters may become a "strategic burden" for Ukraine before other pilots arrive, because they need to beware of the Russian army's attack on Ukraine's "Fighting Falcons" on the ground at any time.

Pilot issues give Zelensky a headache

However, Ukraine and the West must have taken this into consideration, and it is estimated that before the arrival of the Fighting Falcon, another batch of Ukrainian pilots will have completed their training. But for Ukraine, the number of pilots is still insufficient, which is still a big problem.

Theoretically, the fighter jets are readily available, as these "Fighting Falcons" have been in service for decades and are old fighter jets that European countries are about to retire. At present, they are nothing more than upgrading radar and avionics systems and undergoing modernization. According to a previous report by the Kyiv Post, another batch of F-16s from the Netherlands, Denmark, and Norway will arrive by the end of the year.

However, if the number of pilots cannot keep up, the planes will be useless. Since last year, the West has formed a "Fighter Training Alliance" to train Ukrainian pilots on how to fly the "Fighting Falcon" fighter. As we all know, training a pilot is a long process, especially training a highly familiar pilot. Ukrainian pilots used to fly Soviet fighters, but this time they are flying American fighters. The operations of the two are completely different, and pilots need to spend a lot of time to familiarize themselves with this fighter. What's more interesting is that the first thing Ukrainian pilots have to learn before training is English. If they are not proficient in English, the rest of the training cannot be carried out at all. So Ukraine began to think about how to solve the problem of pilots.

For Ukraine, the battlefield situation is very tense, and the more pilots there are, the sooner the fighter jets take off to fight, the better. In this context, Ukraine began to consider recruiting pilots who can skillfully fly the "Fighting Falcon" fighter jets from abroad.

Ukraine is considering recruiting enough pilots from abroad to form a Ukrainian version of the "Flying Tigers"

After visiting Zelensky in Kiev, U.S. Congressman Graham confirmed that they have issued a call for recruitment throughout the NATO alliance, looking for willing retired F-16 pilots to help them until their own pilots complete their training. Now Kiev hopes that these fighter jets can take off and fight as soon as possible, because the battlefield does not wait for anyone.