F-16s Strengthen Ukraine’s Air Defense, Prove Effective in Downing Russian Missiles

President Volodymyr Zelensky confirmed that Ukraine’s newly acquired F-16s were used to shoot down Russian missiles during the massive strike on Aug. 26, as reported by Kyiv Post.

“We destroyed already some missiles and drones using the F-16,” Zelensky said at a Kyiv press conference on Tuesday, without providing further details.

As outlined by Forbes, “Monday’s early-morning attacks were the worst so far of Russia’s 29-month wider war on Ukraine.” Russian drones and missiles targeted Ukraine’s power grid across 15 regions, killing at least four people and damaging the Kyiv Hydropower Plant (HPP) along with other energy facilities. Ukraine reported that Russia fired “at least 127 missiles and 109 drones” in the assault.

The shoot-downs occurred after Ukraine likely received its first batch of Western F-16s on July 31. A Dutch defense official indicated that these jets, donated by the Netherlands, would primarily focus on air defense rather than ground attacks. On Aug. 4, Zelensky unveiled the F-16s but did not disclose the number of jets delivered or their specific missions.

How F-16s can strengthen the air defense of Ukraine?

According to Forbes, it was evident early on that Ukraine’s Air Force would deploy their newly acquired F-16s for air-defense missions. These jets have been spotted carrying pairs of AIM-9 infrared-guided and AIM-120 radar-guided air-to-air missiles. Although compatible with advanced Western-made anti-radar missiles and GPS-guided glide bombs, they have not been observed carrying air-to-ground ordnance.

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“It makes sense for the F-16s to fly air-defense patrols. Ukraine is under relentless attack from the air—and its armed forces are mobilizing every available weapon to blunt the daily raids,” the Forbes report read.

To strengthen its air defenses, Ukraine has also deployed gun-armed helicopters on anti-drone patrols, supplementing existing long-range surface-to-air missile systems and mobile units equipped with anti-aircraft guns. The addition of F-16s further enhances this comprehensive defense network.

Although these upgraded fighters date back to the 1980s, they are well-suited for current defense needs. The F-16s are armed with AIM-120B missiles from the 1990s, capable of hitting targets up to 40 miles away using onboard radar guidance.

For close-range engagements, they carry AIM-9L/M missiles, introduced in the 1980s, which track targets through infrared signatures several miles away. While not the latest technology, these missiles are reliable and readily available from Ukraine's allies, ensuring the F-16s remain well-armed as more units arrive over the coming year.

Ukraine’s F-16 deployment frees up aircraft for strikes,including in the Kursk region

Ukraine’s use of F-16s as air defense systems will allow Kyiv to more actively deploy other aircraft for missile strikes on ground targets, including in the Kursk region, according to pro-Kyiv Russian military expert Kirill Mikhailov, as cited by the Russian opposition publication Agentstvo.

Kirill Mikhailov is a military analyst, an expert on the wars in Syria and Ukraine, and a former researcher of the Conflict Intelligence Team project.

The Conflict Intelligence Team (CIT) is an independent analytical group that conducts open-source investigations into the circumstances of armed conflicts. It emerged in 2014 among the Russian opposition to the Kremlin’s initial invasion of Ukraine.

Mikhailov highlighted the significance of the F-16s entering the conflict as air defense assets. He told Agentstvo that Ukraine currently uses Soviet-era aircraft, such as the MiG-29, both for air defense and for precision strikes with Western aerial bombs, including the GBU-39 SDB and AASM Hammer.

“If the F-16s take on some of the air defense tasks, this will free up the older aircraft fleet to carry out high-precision strikes,” Mikhailov said.

These strikes, he added, are crucial for the Ukrainian Armed Forces (AFU) and are being conducted in regions like Kursk.

Using F-16s as air defense fighters now will help ensure they are available for offensive operations in the future when more arrive in Ukraine with more pilots to fly them and more ground crew to maintain them.

The additional and perhaps the key advantage to being loaded with typical defensive counter air (DCA) combat configurations, such as 4xAIM-120s/2xAIM-9s, the aircraft can sit on strip alert ready for immediate launch to defend Ukraine and to avoid being struck while sitting on the ground.

Ukraine’s F-16s could expand missions beyond air defense as more jets, pilots, and resources arrive

The initial forays of Ukraine’s F-16s successfully targeted Russian cruise missiles, which lack defensive capabilities. As additional jets are integrated and mission parameters expand, these aircraft may soon engage more formidable threats such as Russian fighter jets and advanced air-defense systems, as per Forbes’ report.

“It’s excellent to see the F-16s in action,” wrote Finnish analyst Joni Askola. He predicted that, as Ukraine acquires more F-16 jets, pilots, two Saab AEW planes, and additional resources, the jets will eventually be used for missions beyond air defense.

As the F-16s integrate into Ukraine's existing air force control systems, Russian military expert Mikhailov anticipates they will likely assume more frontline roles. This integration would expand the F-16s' capabilities to include tasks currently performed by other Ukrainian aircraft.

Mikhailov also mentioned that if the U.S. provides Ukraine with long-range JASSM cruise missiles, the F-16s could take on a role in delivering long-range precision strikes.

According to Forbes, air force officials are equipping the F-16s to handle dangerous encounters. To protect these jets from Russian missiles, Ukraine has installed Pylon Integrated Dispensing Systems (PIDS) and Electronic Combat Integrated Pylon Systems (ECIPS).

PIDS releases metal chaff and hot flares to confuse incoming radar- and infrared-guided missiles. ECIPS includes passive defenses like the AN/ALQ-162 jammer, which disrupts continuous wave (CW)radars, and the AN/AAR-60 missile warning system, which triggers these defenses.

To fine-tune the jammer for Russian radars, the US Air Force sent specialists from the 68th Electronic Warfare Squadron in Florida to Europe. They adapted the system using data from Denmark and Norway.

A squadron official revealed that while a single F-16 with an upgraded pod can’t achieve air dominance by itself, it could create a temporary window of air superiority, allowing for the accomplishment of strategically important objectives.