The Ukrainian Armed Forces have confirmed the fight lack of a 3rd F-16 fourth technology fighter, which was destroyed on Could 16 throughout an engagement with Russian targets considered drones or cruise missiles. The pilot was rescued and brought to hospital following the incident, making him the primary Ukrainian F-16 pilot to outlive the destruction of his plane. Ukraine’s F-16s have operated far behind the frontlines to keep away from engagements with Russian fighters, interceptors or floor based mostly air defence methods, with the plane missing the trendy sensors or knowledge hyperlinks wanted to stay survivable in opposition to such targets. Towards subsonic missiles and drones, nevertheless, the fighters have repeatedly confirmed succesful for primary air defence duties. The Ukrainian Air Pressure was confirmed on August 26 to have misplaced its first F-16 below unclear circumstances simply 25 days after deliveries started. On April 12 it was confirmed {that a} second F-16 had been shot down by Russian air defences, with a really lengthy vary 40N6 surface-to-air missile thought to have been used to have interaction the plane deep inside Ukrainian managed airspace.
The reason for the most recent lack of an F-16 stays unknown, with some sources speculating that the fighter might have misplaced management when intercepting targets or crashed into one of many drones it was focusing on. Ukrainian stories that the F-16 was partaking targets utilizing its cannon, fairly than missiles, signifies that this can be a risk. A second shootdown by Russian plane additionally stays a not insignificant risk. Ukraine has been pledged 80 flightworthy F-16s as help, together with 30 from Belgium 24 from the Netherlands, 19 from Denmark, and 12 from Norway. Further non-flightworthy airframes have been pledged by Norway and the US and are supposed to be cannibalised for spare components. All F-16s pledged are early Chilly Struggle period variants, and have been flown for many years, which has considerably raised their upkeep wants and operational prices. The age of the fighters means their avionics are additionally thought-about lengthy since out of date, inserting them at an amazing drawback in opposition to fashionable Russian frontline fighters.
In March Ukrainian Air Pressure spokesperson Yuri Ignat offered perception into the capabilities of the service’s F-16s, stating that they have been incapable of partaking Russian Su-35 ‘4+ technology’ fighters. “The modifications that Ukraine has can’t compete one-on-one in an air battle. We’d like a complete strategy because the [Russian] Su-35 is a comparatively new jet… This contains ground-based air defence, digital warfare methods, and ideally, an airborne radar. Additionally essential are onboard radars for our plane and air-to-air missiles,” he noticed.
