When they’re not flying their Soviet-developed Su-27 Flankers and MiG-29 Fulcrums against Russian targets, Ukrainian pilots spend some of their free time flying F-16 virtual reality (VR) simulators.
“We all know that the future belongs to the F-16 aircraft or the other aircraft that our partners will make available to us,” said Adrii, a young Ukrainian fighter pilot sitting in the cockpit of his Flanker, in a statement dated Wednesday Ukrainians released video Air Force. “That’s why we have to train now, learn the cockpit equipment, the weapon system and how to use it.”
Then, with a big smile, Adrii says that he will show viewers what it’s like to fly the simulator, which consists of a VR headset, a control stick, a throttle, pedals and a screen showing the simulated flight the flight instructors can guide the student.
Beyond performance, there are some key differences between the Viper and the Flanker, most notably the cockpit interfaces and basic operating concept. Andrii noted that the Viper is controlled by a sidestick to the pilot’s right, rather than a control column in the middle.
The software used is Digital Combat Simulator: World (DCS), which runs the F-16C module. These are similar to the DCS based systems that many enthusiasts use at home and by U.S. Air Force A-10 Warthog pilots with the 355th Training Squadron at Davis-Monthan Air Force Base, Arizona. It’s part of a low-cost approach to expanding flight training. Last year, a Ukrainian infantryman managed to crowdfund the development of a secret A-10 Warthog simulation training center similar to the one at Davis-Monthan. You can read more about this in our story here.
A-10 pilots train on DCS and commercially available PCs and VR devices. (USAF photo)
The F-16 simulators are installed at all Ukrainian tactical aviation brigades so that pilots can become sufficiently familiar with the F-16 to shorten their training time outside the country, said Oleksii Diakiv of the Ukrainian Air Force Training Command.
As we have previously reported, training for Ukrainians in language and operational skills is already taking place in the UK and Denmark, and many other countries have also committed to take part. Training will also begin soon in the United States, the Pentagon’s top spokesman told reporters last week.
F-16 training for Ukrainian pilots is already taking place in Denmark. Danish Armed Forces
“We expect Ukrainian pilots and maintainers to arrive in the United States soon to conduct initial English language training and then begin pilot training in the following weeks,” Air Force Brigadier General said. Gen. Pat Ryder.
At the recent Air and Space Forces Association conference in National Harbor, Maryland, Air National Guard and Air Force Lt. Gen. Michael Loh estimated that it would take about nine months for Ukrainian pilots who have just completed basic training to learn to fly F-16 would learn. However, for those with combat experience, “I think three months is absolutely realistic,” he said.
Dozens of F-16s have been promised to Kiev by Denmark, the Netherlands and Norway, and international efforts have also been made to ensure that these planes have pilots trained to fly them.
For an Air Force that wants to integrate fourth-generation fighter aircraft into its flight operations as quickly as possible, spending downtime with the F-16 simulators seems like a worthwhile option. Of course, there are differences between commercially available flight simulation software and full-fledged F-16 simulators, let alone real flight. However, DCS has extremely high fidelity and is effective for general onboarding and some procedural training, which is why, as noted, they are also used at Davis-Monthan.
However, it remains to be seen how much time flying these simulators in Ukraine can save on training programs taking place outside Ukraine.
Before we dive into the latest news from Ukraine, The War Zone readers can catch up on our previous ongoing coverage here.
The newest
On the battlefield, Ukrainian forces advanced to new positions west of Verbowe in Zaporizhzhia Oblast, the Institute for War Research reported in its Wednesday lunchtime assessment. Ukraine also gained ground northwest of Bakhmut in Donetsk Oblast.
The Ukrainian Defense Ministry said the Russians carried out airstrikes and artillery and mortar attacks in Zaporizhzhia Oblast, while the Russian Defense Ministry said it repelled attacks near Verbowe and attacked Ukrainian troops near Robotyne.
“The Black Sea Fleet confidently and successfully fulfills the tasks set by the command,” Sokolov said in a video that the Russians claimed was filmed today. “Surface forces, submarine forces, naval aviation and coastal troops successfully carry out their missions. They know that the heroic deeds of our Marines virtually never leave the screen of central television.”
However, there is no mention of the attack on the BSF headquarters.
However, there are some inconsistencies in the video that cast doubt on the veracity of these claims, as noted by @Capt_Navy, a former Russian naval officer who lives in the Sevastopol area and is a frequent commentator on events in that region . He told The War Zone he doesn’t know for sure whether the images released today prove Sokolov is alive.
He noted that the video connects two separate events, one on September 20 and one purportedly today. He said that raised doubts.
The latest videos and images follow an alleged conference call appearance by Sokolov on Tuesday during a Russian Defense Ministry meeting led by Defense Minister Sergei Shoigu. This came a day after the Ukrainian Special Operations Command (SSO) claimed that Sokolov was among the 34 officers killed in the attack on the BSF headquarters in Sevastopol on September 22.
The SSO said on Tuesday it was working to clarify its initial report but had not released an update as of 11 p.m. Kiev time on Wednesday.
Meanwhile, Lt. Gen. Kyrylo Budanov, commander of Ukraine’s Defense Intelligence Agency, told us on Tuesday that Sokolov’s status was unclear.
“Maybe he’s alive, maybe he’s not,” he told us. “We’re looking for the answer.”
The publication cites a 47-page document that the Ukrainian government submitted to G7 governments in August. That document claimed that there had been more than 600 attacks on cities in the past three months using unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs) using Western technology.
According to the document, “52 electrical components manufactured by Western companies were found in the Shahed-131 drone and 57 in the Shahed-136 model, which has a flight range of 2,000 km (1,240 miles) and a cruise speed of 180 km/h (111 miles per hour ) has.” .”
Five European companies are named as the original manufacturers of the identified components, including a Polish subsidiary of a British multinational.
“Among the manufacturers are companies based in the countries of the sanctions coalition: the United States, Switzerland, the Netherlands, Germany, Canada, Japan and Poland,” the document says.
It also suggested that Ukraine’s allies “carry out missile strikes on the production sites of these UAVs in Iran, Syria, as well as on a potential production site in the Russian Federation.”
The document continues: “The above can be carried out by the Ukrainian Defense Forces if the partners provide the necessary means of destruction.”
Berlin continues to delay the decision to send the Taurus to Ukraine “because of fears that German technicians will have to operate on site, which some officials fear could bring Berlin closer to a direct confrontation with Russia,” the Wall reported Street Journal on Wednesday.
The German three-party coalition government “had agreed in principle to the delivery of the Taurus, but Chancellor Olaf Scholz stopped the move because he feared that German personnel would have to travel to Ukraine to help maintain and operate the complex weapon.” , the publication reported.
A Ukrainian volunteer says troops are facing a severe shortage of drones, with less than 10% of needs being met.
“Today’s production of drones is not nearly enough to meet the needs on the front lines,” she told the publication.
Berlinska said there is currently not enough domestic production of drones or components and most components are imported. However, the situation is much better now than it was at the start of the full-scale invasion or even a year ago.
“We were just starting production at that time. Now there are already a number of samples of various types and classes of drones, both at the tactical and operational levels. There are also reconnaissance and attack systems. There are land, air and water systems. “At the beginning of the invasion we had five to six manufacturers, now there are at least several dozen,” Berlinska said.
The Russians are reportedly trying to build a railway linking the occupied Azov Sea port city of Mariupol with Donetsk Oblast and cities inside Russia, as they are beset by Ukrainian attacks on bridges leading to Crimea and their ability to transport troops to provide defense against the counterattack.
“It’s not just chatter, they have started building a railway bridge near the village of Granitne across the Kalmius River,” Petro Andriushchenko, an adviser to the exiled mayor of Mariupol, said on his Telegram channel on Wednesday. “If successful, the existing Mariupol-Aslanov-Kalchik-Volnovakha branch will be made possible [railroad] to be included in a direct connection with Taganrog and Rostov-on-Don [in Russia]. “In practice, this is not only a global solution to the problem of military and civil logistics, but also a drastic reduction in dependence on railway communications across the Crimean Bridge.”
On Tuesday, a spectacular video emerged showing German-made Gepard self-propelled anti-aircraft guns (SPAAG) unsuccessfully firing numerous 35mm shells at an Iranian-made Shahed-136 drone that was attacking the port city of Odessa Black Sea attacks.
The Twitter account @AirPowerNEW1 suggested that using ammunition with proximity fuses on these weapons could significantly increase the kill rate.
However, as already mentioned, simply providing standard 35 mm ammunition was a challenge. The Gepard’s weapons are manufactured in Switzerland, where a neutrality policy applies. Therefore, Germany had to purchase the ammunition from the Rheinmetall arms company. The first batch of new ammunition was recently delivered to Ukraine, with 40,000 rounds promised by the end of 2023 as part of the deal. According to the latest government information, Germany has so far delivered 86,122 rounds of Gepard ammunition from the Bundeswehr and industry, and 289,920 rounds still have to be sent.
A priest in Kherson was arrested on Tuesday for allegedly trying to sell two Igla portable air defense systems (MANPADS), rocket-propelled grenade projectile components and three batteries. According to authorities, the asking price was around $3,000.
After the brutal fighting at Klishiivka near Bakhmut, Ukrainian soldiers are seen walking past bomb craters, the remains of fallen Russian troops and trees destroyed by constant bombardment in this video below.
A new video has emerged showing the moment a Russian 9K114 Shturm anti-tank missile system itself is hit by a Ukrainian anti-tank missile. As Russian troops sit in the stationary shturm, there is a flash of fire and the sound of an explosion. From the screams afterwards, it appears that at least some of the troops inside survived the attack. A few days ago, a Russian soldier happened to film the moment of the vehicle’s impact, which you can also see below.
Although they’re bulky and uncomfortable, there’s a reason why troops wear helmets in combat. The soldier in this video below, with an arrow-like flechette sticking out of his helmet, is a prime example of this.
Continuing his country’s strong information operations, Ukraine’s new Defense Minister Rustem Umerov spoofs the Matthew McConaughey ad for the Lincoln MCK sport utility vehicle. But instead of an SUV, this video below praises the recent arrival in Ukraine of M1 Abrams tanks donated by the US.
And finally, meet the horse Holubka, who was befriended by Ukrainian troops near Kostiantynivka in Donetsk Oblast. Knowing it was too dangerous to keep a horse in a combat zone, they contacted a rescue team who took Holubka to a safe location.
That’s it for now. We will update this story as there is more news to report about Ukraine.
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