The Ukrainian F-16s were among the assets that countered the Russian cruise missiles and one-way attack drones during the latest major attack.
The Ukrainian F-16s may have seen their first combat actions yesterday, during what has been defined as the largest Russian air raid against Ukraine to date, with a reported total of 127 missiles and 109 one-way attack drones. During a live-streamed event with the press, Ukrainian president Zelensky claimed that F-16s were involved in the defense and shot down an unspecified number of cruise missiles.
On Aug. 26, 2024, Russia launched a massive wave on attacks on the Ukrainian energy infrastructure, with explosions reported also in Kyiv. Among the weapons employed were reported the Iskander-M/KN-23 GLBM (Ground Launched Ballistic Missile), Kinzhal ALBM (Air Launched Ballistic Missile), Kh-22/32 ALCM (Air Launched Cruise Missile), Kh-101 ALCM, 3M-14 Kalibr SLCM (Sea Launched Cruise Missile), Kh-59/69 ALCM and the Shahed-136 OWA-UAS (One-Way Attack UAS).
‼️🇺🇦🇷🇺 This is the largest Russian air raid against Ukraine to date, with 236 missiles and UAS.
1/6 Iskander-M/KN-23 GLBMs
1/3 Kinzhal ALBMs
1/3 Kh-22/32 ALCMs
77 Kh-101 ALCMs
28 3M-14 Kalibr SLCMs
10 Kh-59/69 ALCMs
(99/115 Kh-101/Kalibr/Kh-59/69)
99/109 Shahed-131/136 OWA-UAS pic.twitter.com/bsKpkrAM5z
— John Ridge 🇺🇸 🇺🇦 (@John_A_Ridge) August 26, 2024
Details about the F-16 participation to the defensive effort were not disclosed, other that the US-made fighter was able to shoot down a number of missiles. The aircraft delivered to Ukraine are currently equipped with the AIM-120B AMRAAM, AIM-9L/M Sidewinder and the internal M61 Vulcan 20 mm cannon, which are all weapons already used against similar targets in other occasions, such as the defense of Israel.
Stream link: https://t.co/79QJKPyeYt https://t.co/9jimbWf6H2
— OSINTtechnical (@Osinttechnical) August 27, 2024
Ukrainian F-16’s upgraded EW systems
On the same day of the attack, the U.S. Air Force disclosed its involvement in the upgrade of the electronic warfare (EW) suites of the F-16s delivered to Ukraine. The 68th Electronic Warfare Squadron recently collaborated with their Danish and Norwegian counterparts in support of the delivery of F-16s from Denmark and the Netherlands to Ukraine, said the service in a press release.
“The 68th EWS is an Air Force center of Electronic Warfare excellence, focused on increasing the lethality and survivability of the U.S. and its strategic partners by developing, testing and delivering full-spectrum Electromagnetic Warfare support,” says the Air Force. The unit is based at Eglin Air Force Base and part of the 350th Spectrum Warfare Wing.
Both Ukraine and Russia’s militaries heavily rely on the electromagnetic spectrum, employing jamming and spoofing throughout the war to achieve spectrum superiority. To effectively integrate the F-16 into the Ukrainian Air Force, its EW subsystems required reprogramming to be effective against evolving Russian threats in the spectrum, said the press release.
The unit faced two problems, as the U.S. Air Force did not have access to the systems installed on the soon-to-be delivered F-16s, as it is not part of the US inventory, and the timeline was strict. The 68th EWS assembled a dedicated team which started working on data provided by Denmark and Norway. The team then went overseas to an unspecified partner-nation lab to collaboratively develop and test the system alongside coalition teammates.
“This is not our standard operating procedure,” said the 68th EWS director. “The fact that the team was able to figure out the system in two weeks, go in country with a partner to develop a best-ever mission data file is unheard of and is thanks to the talent here in the squadron and the wing.”
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The press release then added that Ukraine is now being onboarded as an official foreign military sales case for the 68th EWS. This way the unit will provide reprogramming capabilities based on feedback from the Ukrainians, which will provide combat-tested data to improve capabilities to the benefit of both parties.
“When you’re talking about a near-peer conflict, you need all of your coalition partners to operate with the same playbook so you can achieve spectrum dominance,” said the 68th EWS director. “One F-16 with a reprogrammed pod won’t achieve air dominance alone, but it may give you a pocket of air superiority for a moment’s time to achieve an objective that has strategic importance and impact.”
The Ukrainian F-16s
President Volodymyr Zelensky first announced that Ukraine has taken delivery of its initial batch of F-16 fighter jets on Aug. 4, 2024. A ceremony was held at a confidential site, with the aircraft positioned alongside him, and another pair flying overhead.
The number of aircraft delivered was not disclosed, although it’s being reported that they are ex-Dutch aircraft. In total, Ukraine is set to receive approximately up to 91 F-16s, in both single seater AM and twin seater BM variants.
The arrival of the F-16s, after months of anticipation, represents a significant milestone for Ukraine, although the exact number available and their impact on air defenses and battlefield effectiveness remain uncertain. For now, it appears that the F-16s will be employed only in an air defense role, although it is expected that they will also get an air-to-ground role later in the future.
Images released by the Ukrainian Air Force so far depict the fighters armed with AIM-120B AMRAAM and AIM-9L/M Sidewinder air-to-air missiles, in addition to the two 370 gallons external fuel tanks and the Terma PIDS+ (Pylon Integrated Dispensing System) pylons, which also include UV Missile Warning Sensors.
Zelensky highlighted the transition to Western combat aviation as a new phase for Ukraine’s air force, achieved through extensive diplomatic efforts. Previously relying on outdated Soviet-era aircraft, Ukraine’s air force has been outmatched by Russia’s superior fleet, enabling Russia to conduct extensive missile strikes and support its eastern frontlines with guided bombs.
The F-16s delivered to Ukraine are already compatible with many of the Western weapons that were integrated on the Ukrainian MiG-29s and Su-27 and will be able to employ these weapons more efficiently. Reports mention that Ukrainian F-16s might also get in future the possibility of employing the AGM-158 JASSM.
The versatile, multirole F-16 jets will augment and eventually replace Soviet-era fighters, which have been modified to use Western-donated weapons like the JDAM (Joint Direct Attack Munition), AGM-88 HARM (High-Speed Anti-Radiation Missile), ADM-160 MALD (Miniature Air-Launched Decoy), and the Storm Shadow/SCALP-EG ALCM (Air-Launched Cruise Missile), though these modifications have faced some difficulties.
