Canada contracted Top Aces Inc. to train Ukrainian pilots on F-16 fighters. This private company owns its own F-16 fleet.

This was announced by Canadian Defense Minister Bill Blair during the 18th Ukraine Defense Contact Group (UDCG) meeting.

In February, Canada, as part of the F-16 coalition, together with Denmark and France, will provide civilian instructors, aircraft, and support personnel to help train Ukrainian pilots.

This support is estimated at approximately CA$15 million. The training will begin in February 2024 and last until 2025.

To do this, the Canadian Ministry of Defense signed a contract with Montreal-based Top Aces Inc.

Canada also provides English training for servicemen of the Ukrainian Air Force at the Canadian Forces Language School.

According to the Canadian part, “this work will be an important contribution to the mission to equip and enable the AFU with F-16 fighter jets.”

It is worth noting that Ukraine has already worked with Top Aces. In 2021, the Ukrainian An-124 Ruslan plane delivered fighter jets F-16 to the private company Top Aces.

Top Aces in Montreal specializes in the purchase of outdated fighters, which are used in training as aggressor aircraft.

In 2019, the company managed to sign a corresponding major contract with the U.S. Air Force.

The company also provides training services to the Canadian and German Air Forces.

In 2020, a private company managed to buy decommissioned Israeli F-16 fighters. The cost of each decommissioned car is estimated at $3-4 million.