War in Ukraine: training of Ukrainian technicians on F-16 in full swing in Belgium
The training of Ukrainian technicians in the maintenance of F-16 fighter jets is in full swing at one of Sabena Engineering’s sites in Belgium.
Published on 04/26/2024 at 3:48 p.m.
The training of Ukrainian technicians in the maintenance of F-16 fighter planes is in full swing at one of Sabena Engineering’s sites in Belgium, the Belga agency noted during a visit by the Minister of Defense. Defense, Ludivine Dedonder. The site, whose exact location cannot be revealed for security reasons, welcomes around ten Ukrainians and their trainers.
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The maintenance hangars also contain several F-16s from the coalition bringing together 13 states including the Netherlands, Denmark, Norway, Luxembourg and Belgium. These devices are thoroughly maintained there before their future delivery to Ukraine. However, no Belgian aircraft are immediately destined for kyiv, pending the delivery of the first new generation F-35As to Belgium.
“The scope of your commitment extends beyond our borders, to Ukraine, where your know-how is directly put at the service of peace and international security,” greeted Ludivine Dedonder (PS) in front of a floor bringing together some of the approximately 400 members of the site’s staff. “In today’s climate where every aircraft counts and every flight hour is precious, your role in maintaining the F-16s and their structural reinforcement is crucial.”
War in Ukraine: training Ukrainian pilots on F-16, a real human and logistical challenge for our Belgian soldiers
The partnership between Sabena Engineering (formerly Sabca), Patria Belgium Engine Center and Defense dates back 4 years and took a new turn during the Russian invasion of Ukraine with, in recent months, the training of Ukrainian technicians.
This includes several components including theoretical training on tutorial aircraft before practical application on certain fighter aircraft provided by the member countries of the coalition. Patria Belgium Engineering Center (based in Herstal) is responsible for training on aircraft engines while Sabena Engineering provides its expertise in aircraft structures.
Belgians train Ukrainians on our F-16s in Denmark
“At the beginning, it was important that I knew their background as a technician, as well as their level of English,” explains an instructor, himself a former soldier assigned to maintaining F-16s for a European state. “The technicians who are here already had experience with Sukhoi 27s and MiG-25s. They therefore need to update their knowledge.”
Despite the language barrier which is sometimes felt, the instructors interviewed testify to the great motivation of the Ukrainian technicians and manage to overcome this problem, sometimes with the help of interpreters, or with the help of images and demonstrations.
Patria and Sabena Engineering, which are already facing a shortage of technicians, have had to adapt to provide personnel capable of quickly training the Ukrainians. “We have slowed down certain programs to free up staff for training. The particularity of this is that it must be fast, the Ukrainian technicians therefore work more than in the usual modules,” explains the CEO of Sabena Engineering, Stéphane Burton.
The minister also assured that Belgium and several other European states would ensure the maintenance of the F-16s, once they are delivered to kyiv.
As part of the F-16 coalition, Belgium is also training Ukrainian pilots in the handling of F-16s at the Skrydstrup air base (southern Denmark). Belgian two-seater F-16 fighter-bombers have been stationed there since March and until October, for two periods of eight weeks, as have around fifty members of the Belgian Defense.
