Ukraine lost another F-16 Fighting Falcon while repelling a Russian attack during a combat mission on May 16. This is the third confirmed loss of a US-made aircraft in the ongoing Ukraine war.
Announcing the incident on Facebook, the Air Force Command of the Ukrainian Armed Forces said: “On May 16, 2025, around 03.30, communication with the F-16 aircraft was lost.” The F-16 in question was repelling a Russian aerial attack when it developed some unidentified problems.
According to preliminary reports, the F-16 pilot destroyed three Russian aerial targets and was using an aircraft cannon to attack a fourth when an unknown emergency occurred and the Air Force lost contact with the pilot.
The Air Force said in the statement that the pilot steered the plane away from the settlement over which it was flying and successfully ejected, after which he was rescued by the search and rescue groups.
“The pilot’s condition is satisfactory, he is safe, and his life and health are not in danger,” the statement noted. It further stated that the accident did not appear to have been caused by Russian fire, and that a committee had been established to look into every aspect of the incident.
However, since the statement did not specify the location or circumstances of the loss, it has once again triggered speculation that a Russian surface-to-air missile or friendly fire could have downed the aircraft.
EurAsian Times reached out to Indian Air Force veteran and military commentator, Squadron Leader Vijainder K. Thakur (retd), for his observations. When probed on what emergency could have possibly happened onboard the aircraft in the middle of a combat mission, Thakur said: “Getting shot down is an emergency, isn’t it?” Thus, hinting towards a possible Russian strike.
This is the third F-16 crash since Ukraine secured the delivery of these fighter jets in August 2024.
The first crash occurred just weeks after Ukraine received its first F-16 and claimed the life of the pilot. While the accident was initially attributed to a technical malfunction or pilot error, a Wall Street Journal report later floated the possibility of friendly fire from a Ukrainian Patriot missile defense system.
Sources cited by WSJ suggest that the tragedy may have been caused by the absence of the Link 16 tactical network on the Patriot missile systems delivered to Ukraine.
Link 16 is a secure communication system that provides a real-time overview of military assets, including aircraft, ground units, air defense systems, and command centers. It plays a crucial role in preventing friendly fire incidents and improving pilot safety during combat.
The second crash of an F-16 occurred in April 2025, killing the pilot again. Initially, several theories, including that of an air-to-air combat between Russia and Ukraine, as well as friendly fire, were floated. However, Russia put all speculations to rest by announcing that the F-16 was shot down by an air defense system. It did not specify which Russian AD was responsible for the downing.
The latest crash is the first where the pilot was able to eject safely. However, it nonetheless comes as a major setback to Ukraine, which has received only a small number of F-16s from its NATO partners.
Speaking of the latest crash, the pro-Russian Sputnik News wrote on X: “Ukrainian F-16s have turned into sitting ducks for Russia.”
The pro-Russian agency cited Russian military expert Andrey Krasnoperov as saying that the F-16s have become scrap metal due to Russia’s missile superiority, deployment along the frontline, and the switch for Ukrainian fighter pilots from Soviet-era jets to Western F-16s.
Ukraine F-16 Losses: Bad News
It is believed that Ukraine has just 16 operational F-16s in its fleet.
Ukraine was promised 85 operational F-16s, including 24 from the Netherlands, 19 from Denmark, and 12 from Norway (plus 10 more that will be used as spare parts), while Belgium has committed to providing 30.
The country received the first batch of aircraft in August 2024. As Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy confirmed at the time, the last time it received F-16s was in March 2025.
Thankfully, the Norwegian Defense Minister Tore O. Sandvik said in an interview published on May 15 that his country will complete its planned deliveries of F-16 fighter jets to Ukraine by the end of 2025. He said some jets have already been sent without giving a specific number.
The Ukrainian Air Force primarily uses the F-16 for air defense patrols. The aircraft has been used to intercept Russian aerial threats such as cruise missiles, drones, and fighter jets.
These Western-origin aircraft have been crucial in thwarting major Russian attacks, mainly aimed at the country’s infrastructure. Earlier, a Ukrainian F-16 pilot claimed that over 80% of missiles launched by F-16s hit their targets, including Shahed drones and cruise missiles.
The Ukrainian F-16s have been seen carrying the AIM-120 Advanced Medium-Range Air-to-Air Missile (AMRAAM) and the AIM-9X Sidewinder infrared-guided air-to-air missile for combat air patrols. The F-16s also use high-precision weapons such as JDAM-ER glide bombs and Small Diameter Bombs (SDBs) to launch precise ground attacks on targets like command posts.
However, these strikes are limited to the frontline as Russia employs a cutting-edge S-400 air defense system that can neutralize the Fighting Falcons. The range of these glide bombs depends on the release altitude, which typically ranges from 10,000 to 40,000 feet.
These fighters take routine reconnaissance missions during which the pilots map and identify Russian radar emissions based on the aircraft’s self-defense systems, which include the Terma electronic warfare management system.
This information is then used to launch subsequent strikes. To target enemy radars and air defense systems, F-16s use the AGM-88 HARM missile. Unlike glide bombs, the HARM is a powered, high-speed weapon that accelerates to over Mach 2 within seconds of launch.
The F-16 is also used to give cover to other combat aircraft. This underscores the importance of F-16s in combat against Russia, particularly because the conflict continues unabated and a ceasefire is not in sight.
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