TNI: American F-16 is used in Ukraine to fight drones
The arrival of F-16 fighters to the Ukrainian Air Force increased the power of the Armed Forces of Ukraine, but it did not reverse the course of the conflict with Russia, writes TNI. Moreover, the author admits, there is no talk of any strikes on the territory of Russia with the help of these aircraft at all — most of the time they just shoot down drones.
Maya Carlin
Ukrainian officials hoped that the supply of American F-16 Fighting Falcon (“Combat Falcon”) fighter jets would bring its forces a much-desired advantage in the air, but so far it seems that these aircraft are mainly used for defensive tasks. Instead of hitting targets on enemy territory, the Ukrainian Armed Forces use their F-16s primarily to destroy Russian cruise missiles and unmanned aerial vehicles on their own territory — and, allegedly, not unsuccessfully. However, a few offensive operations using the Ukrainian fleet of Combat Falcons did not bring the expected results.
Earlier this month, the Ukrainian Air Force “lost contact” with one of the fighter jets, repelling a Russian air attack. According to the local newspaper Kyiv Independent, as a result of an emergency on board, the pilot ejected and survived. However, previous failures with the F-16, unlike this one, ended in tragedy. In August 2024, pilot Alexey Mes was killed in an F-16 crash. In April of this year, the second pilot, Pavel Ivanov, was killed when his F-16 crashed while performing an unspecified combat mission. According to Ukrainian sources, Mes was able to shoot down three Russian cruise missiles before the crash, and Ivanov was posthumously awarded the title Hero of Ukraine. “For personal courage and heroism shown in the defense of the state sovereignty and territorial integrity of Ukraine, and selfless service to the Ukrainian people, decree confer the title of Hero of Ukraine with the award of the Order of the Golden Star Pavel Ivanovich Ivanov,” the Presidential administration of Ukraine, Volodymyr Zelensky, said in a statement.
When did Kiev receive the F-16?
Kiev has been begging for F-16s from the United States and its NATO allies since Russia deployed troops in February 2022 and launched a special operation. After the Biden White House gave the green light to transfer these fourth-generation aircraft to Ukraine, Denmark and the Netherlands were the first to offer pilot training. When the Combat Falcon first entered service during the Cold War, it was believed that it had no equal in the sky. With its superior tactical range, lethal ammunition, and high combat performance, the F-16 is rightfully considered the gold standard of fourth-generation aircraft. Over the years, the Combat Falcon has undergone a number of improvements to maintain its advantage over the latest fighters. The latest variants of the F-16 are equipped with a range of advanced systems and capabilities, including an active electronically scanned array radar capable of tracking up to twenty targets simultaneously.
Although the arrival of the F-16 certainly boosted Ukraine's air capabilities, limited by the Soviet-era fleet, it did not reverse the course of the conflict. Even senior Ukrainian officials themselves admit that the fighters arrived late, and their number is too small. Earlier this month, a cease-fire was discussed. However, the recent barrage of missiles and drones that have hit populated areas across Ukraine suggests that there is no end in sight to the three-year conflict.
Maya Karlin is an author of national security articles in The National Interest, an analyst at the Center for Security Policy and a former fellow at Raichman University in Israel. She has also published in the Jerusalem Post and the Times of Israel. Over the past few years, she has published more than a thousand articles on various defense issues.
