F-16 Fighter Jets Now Carrying Out 80% Of Ukrainian Air Force Combat Missions

As they have with so many other NATO-supplied weapons systems, the Ukrainians are demonstrating a mastery of the F-16 both in taking down cruise missiles and drones, but also in striking Russian ground targets.

That 80% of Ukrainian Air Force sorties are now being flown by Ukrainian pilots in F-16s speaks to the effectiveness of both the aircraft and the NATO trained Ukrainian pilots. JL

Sania Kozatskyi reports in Militarnyi:

F-16 fighter jets, provided to Ukraine as part of military aid, carry out 80% of all combat sorties flown by the Ukrainian Air Force. These combat aircraft are used, in particular, to intercept Russian cruise missiles and Shahed kamikaze drones. Although the Ukrainian Air Force received not the most advanced modifications of F-16, Ukrainian pilots are showing strong performance in engaging enemy aerial targets as well as in conducting strikes on ground targets. In addition to air-to-air missiles, Ukrainian pilots also use the aircraft’s 20mmm six-barrel Vulcan cannon to intercept drones.

F-16 fighter jets, provided to Ukraine as part of military aid, carry out about 80% of all combat sorties flown by the Ukrainian Air Force.

The  Air and Space Forces Magazine reported on this.

These combat aircraft are used, in particular, to intercept Russian cruise missiles and Shahed kamikaze drones. 

According to the publication, earlier this month a Ukrainian F-16 pilot with the call sign ‘AB,’ who previously flew MiG-29s, visited the Mitchell Institute for Aerospace Studies in the United States. There, he spoke about the crucial role these fighter jets play in defending Ukraine’s airspace.

According to him, Ukrainian pilots have already conducted hundreds of successful air engagements, repelling attacks by Russian missiles and drones.

The moment an AIM-9M missile is launched from a Ukrainian F-16. Frame from a video by the General Staff of the Armed Forces of Ukraine.

“A small fleet of Ukrainian F-16s, operated by a relatively limited number of F-16 pilots, is currently carrying out approximately 80% of all combat sorties flown by the Ukrainian Air Force,” the publication writes.

 

The article notes that although the Ukrainian Air Force received not the most advanced modifications of F-16, Ukrainian pilots are showing strong performance in engaging enemy aerial targets as well as in conducting strikes on ground targets.

In addition to air-to-air missiles, Ukrainian pilots also use the aircraft’s cannon to intercept drones.

 

In September, a video was released online showing a Ukrainian F-16 successfully destroying a Russian Shahed kamikaze drone using a 20mmm six-barrel Vulcan cannon.