US Air Force F-16 fighter jet is on display during the Paris Air Show in Le Bourget, north of Paris, France, June 19, 2023. (PHOTO / AP)

WASHINGTON / OSLO - The United States will begin training Ukrainian pilots on F-16 fighter jets in September at US Air Force bases in two southern states, the Department of Defense announced Thursday.

Pentagon Press Secretary Pat Ryder said it typically takes eight months for a new F-16 pilot with not a lot of training on the US side to complete the process, and "within the five-month range" for an experienced pilot receiving "upgrade training"

The training, which will include "several pilots and dozens of maintainers," will start in September with English-language classes to be offered at Lackland Air Force Base in Texas, Pentagon Press Secretary Pat Ryder told a press briefing.

After the trainees grasp the necessary language skills, they will then be trained on how to actually fly the F-16, and this process will begin in October at Morris Air National Guard Base in Arizona, Ryder said.

The training in the United States "will be the fundamental fighter pilot training," he said, adding that the exact curriculum for the Ukrainian pilots will depend on their levels of experience, of which an assessment is also part of the training program.

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On the duration of the training, Ryder said it typically takes eight months for a new F-16 pilot with not a lot of training on the US side to complete the process, and "within the five-month range" for an experienced pilot receiving "upgrade training."

Currently, European countries are leading the effort to train Ukrainian pilots on F-16s and other advanced fighters made by Western countries, with Demark and the Netherlands now prepared to undertake the task. The US government previously said it would do its part to provide training on US soil if and when Europe reached the full capacity.

Without giving a specific timeline of F-16 deliveries, Ryder said it could be months ahead, adding that European countries are looking to provide the aircraft "and the United States will support that effort through the third-party transfer process." 

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In this photo provided by the Ukrainian Presidential Press Office, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy (right) and Prime Minister of Norway Jonas Gahr Store pose for a photo during their meting in Kyiv, Ukraine, Aug 24, 2023. (PHOTO / AP)

Donation from Norway

Separately, Norway will donate IRIS-T anti-aircraft missiles and demining equipment to Ukraine, the government said on Thursday.

The decision was announced by Prime Minister Jonas Gahr Store during his visit to Kiev on Thursday, it said in a press release.

Norway will also donate portable sets for explosive-based demining and explosive charges, and these will aid in creating passages through minefields, the government said in an earlier press release.