Moonfish (pilot) explained
Moonfish is a Ukrainian military pilot of the Air Force of the Armed Forces of Ukraine.
Biography
As of June 2022, Moonfish was the commander of a squadron of Ukrainian MiG-29 fighters.[1]
In August 2023, Moonfish started atraining course in the United Kingdom with plans to eventually flyan F-16.[2]
Advocacy efforts
In June 2022, Moonfish visited the US with another Ukrainian pilot, call sign Juice, to lobby for F-16s for Ukraine.[3] They met with several US lawmakers and explained which modern weapons systems were needed most in Ukraine.[4] Sean Penn accompanied the pilots in some of the meetings, to amplify their message.[5] The pilots met with Adam Kinzinger in his office in Washington, D.C.[6] As a result, Kinzinger introduced the «Ukraine Fighter Pilots Act» to the United States House of Representatives on June 17, 2022. The bill was cosponsored by other congressmembers.[7] [8] [9] [10]
F-16 involvement
After months of advocacy to ensure F-16s for Ukraine, Moonfish was among the first Ukrainian pilots to start F-16 training in the US. He gave an extensive interview to Ukrainian TV describing the process.[11] In the Fall of 2023, his training advanced from a simulator cockpit to actual F-16 airframes.[12]
See also
External links
- // Ми — Україна. — 2023. — 19 серпня.
Notes and References
- Web site: F-16 мають замінити втрачені українські винищувачі . 2022-06-22 . Ukrmilitary .
- Web site: При відборі враховували вік, досвід та знання англійської: пілот ЗСУ розповів про навчання на F-16 . Ілля Нежигай . 2023-08-20 . Факти .
- Web site: Ukrainian Pilots Visit U.S. To Lobby for Fighter Jets . Flying Magazine. Kimberly . Johnson . June 27, 2022.
- Web site: Top Gun Ukrainian pilots push US for jets, senator says lawmakers will 'press the case' with White House . Fox News . June 24, 2022 . Caitlin . McFall.
- Web site: Sean Penn helps Ukrainian fighter pilots lobby for US aid . MSN . June 25, 2022 .
- Web site: The Air Force has selected a group of pilots to train with Western fighter jets . 2023-08-26 . Militarnyi . en-US.
- Web site: Gillespie . Maura . 2022-06-17 . Kinzinger & Houlahan Introduce Ukraine Fighter Pilots Act . https://web.archive.org/web/20220617182318/https://kinzinger.house.gov/news/documentsingle.aspx?DocumentID=402979 . 2022-06-17 . kinzinger.house.gov.
- Web site: Kinzinger . Adam . 2022-06-16 . To authorize appropriations to provide assistance and training to Ukrainian pilots, and for other purposes . https://web.archive.org/web/20220617182613if_/https://kinzinger.house.gov/uploadedfiles/kinz_ukrainepilotsact.pdf . 2022-06-17 . kinzinger.house.gov . bill . PDF.
- Web site: Kinzinger . Adam . 2022-06-17 . H.R.8144 - 117th Congress (2021-2022): Ukrainian Fighter Pilots Act. . congress.gov.
- News: Malyasov . Dylan . 2022-06-23 . Congressmen introduce bill to train Ukrainian fighter pilots . Defence Blog .
- Web site: First Ukrainian Pilot on F-16 (TV interview transcript) . novynarnia.com . September 29, 2023.
- News: A 'Swiss Army knife' for the skies: Ukrainian army pilot races to get to grips with F-16 jet. Daria . Markina-Tarasova . November 20, 2023 . CNN.