The French Joint Chiefs of Staff announced that France has successfully completed the training of the first group of Ukrainian pilots on Alpha Jet aircraft. This marks a significant step in bolstering Ukraine’s air defense capabilities as part of ongoing support efforts.
The French Air Force has been training Ukrainian pilots since March 2024, providing essential instruction on defense missions.
In March, four Ukrainian pilots, with some previous aviation experience, arrived at a French air base in the southwest (undisclosed for operational security) to undergo training on Alpha Jet. They were later joined by six additional pilots. Over the course of six months, the Ukrainian pilots had to rapidly absorb air combat fundamentals with guidance from French instructors and an F-16 pilot. This included simulator sessions and at least 80 hours of flight time on the Alpha Jet.
La France vient d'achever la formation de la première promotion de pilotes ukrainiens sur Alphajet. Depuis mars 2024, l'@Armee_de_lair forme des pilotes 🇺🇦 répondant à un besoin opérationnel de @DefenceU.
— Armée française - Opérations militaires (@EtatMajorFR) September 20, 2024
Soutien résolu de la France à l'effort de guerre ukrainien. pic.twitter.com/T8Pufm0rlt
On September 19, the first group of Ukrainian pilots received their “macaron,” signifying the completion of their training. Although the exact number of graduates has not been disclosed, it is likely the initial four pilots from March are among those awarded.
The French General Staff emphasized that these pilots underwent “tailor-made training” to optimize the short timeframe while maintaining operational standards. The training covered low-altitude navigation, tactical maneuvers against air and ground threats, air-to-air and air-to-ground combat, and shooting exercises.
Following this training, the newly qualified pilots are expected to transition to operational F-16 training at Romania’s Fetesti air base. However, some may remain in France for further training on the Mirage 2000s, which President Macron promised to provide to Ukraine.
With the influx of advanced aircraft such as F-16s and Mirage 2000s, Ukraine faces the challenge of training a large number of young pilots quickly. In August 2023, 32 young Ukrainian pilots, aged around 20, were selected for training on Western-designed aircraft to learn the basics of air combat.
However, only eight had the necessary English proficiency to begin training immediately, while ten others were sent to the United Kingdom for language preparation and initial flight training on aircraft like the Tutor Mk1, Prefect Mk1, and T-6 Texan II.
France is committed to training around 20 Ukrainian pilots in total.
