Ukraine harnesses modernised F‑16s to bolster air defence
The Ukrainians use a few F-16 aircraft to safeguard their airspace. Here, we present their applications.
Below, you can see a recording showing the return of an F-16A/B MLU aircraft from a mission to a deployment location somewhere in Ukraine. Upon frame-by-frame analysis, the aircraft appears unladen, apart from the two inner wing pylons. These can accommodate a combination of an external fuel tank and a targeting or electronic warfare pod.
F-16 in Ukraine — aircraft supplementing air defence
Currently, the Ukrainians seem to mainly use F-16 aircraft as a supplement to air defence, particularly in hunting drones and cruise missiles. Based on available recordings, strike missions are apparently conducted by MiG-29 aircraft.
This approach might be due to the need for further training of Ukrainian pilots and the F-16's superior capabilities in detecting low-flying targets. Even a small number of F-16s significantly enhances Ukraine's defence, as the country cannot deploy air defence systems every few dozen miles.
An aircraft is preferable in this scenario because it can patrol an area of several hundred miles. Furthermore, the Ukrainians can utilise F-16s armed with AIM-120 AMRAAM missiles to down, for example, Russian Su-34 aircraft carrying guided bombs, which has already been achieved.
F-16A/B MLU after modifications — NATO retirees feared by Russians
F-16AM/BM aircraft were transferred to Ukraine following a Mid-Life Update (MLU) modernisation in the 1990s. Additionally, these units were modified before being delivered to Ukraine, which involved removing certain NATO-reserved elements and adding new solutions. The result was an aircraft with vastly improved capabilities compared to standard MLU versions.
The Ukrainian models were intended to be compatible with modern armaments, including French AASM Hammer bombs. The aircraft were also equipped with advanced targeting pods like the AN/ASQ-213 HTS, allowing the full use of weaponry such as AGM-88 HARM anti-radiation missiles.
The modifications may have included AN/APG-66 or AN/APG-68 radars and might have extended to integrating more recent technologies, such as the AN/APG-83 SABR, which offers enhanced performance.
The basic arsenal of an F-16 includes a six-barrel M61A1 Vulcan cannon with a 20 mm calibre and eleven pylons with a total carrying capacity of 7 tonnes. Two of these, located at the wingtips, are dedicated to short-range AIM-9 Sidewinder missiles. Reserving two to three pylons for targeting or electronic warfare pods and fuel tanks is also common practice, leaving six available for weaponry.
