Ukraine lacks ammunition for F-16s: some aircraft need repairs
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Ukraine is in talks with European countries and manufacturers to supply tens of thousands of 20mm ammunition for its F-16 fighter jets. They are seen as one of the fastest and relatively inexpensive ways to combat Russian jet drones. At the same time, a significant number of Ukrainian F-16s currently have maintenance problems, which could affect air defense capabilities.
This is reported by Bloomberg and The Wall Street Journal .
Bloomberg’s interlocutor notes that it may take about 150 shells to intercept a single jet drone. At the current pace of Russian attacks, Ukraine may need up to 10,000 munitions per day.
Ukraine is also trying to accelerate the receipt of three F-16 fighter jets from Belgium, which are due to arrive by the end of 2026. According to President Volodymyr Zelensky, Kyiv is already receiving ammunition for the aircraft from Belgium, Spain and other countries.
In parallel, our own systems are being developed to combat jet drones. According to Zelensky, Ukrainian forces currently intercept about 57% of jet drone attacks .
At the same time, The Wall Street Journal writes about problems with F-16 maintenance. Due to delays, a significant part of the aircraft cannot currently be fully used.
These fighters are one of the means of combating new Russian drones with jet engines. According to the publication, Ukrainian pilots on F-16s have shot down about 2.5 thousand drones of various types and about 650 cruise missiles .
After 300 hours of flight, aircraft require a so-called milestone technical inspection. This involves checking the engine, avionics, hydraulic and fuel systems, as well as other components.
The United States has awarded a contract worth up to $235.5 million to the Belgian company Sabena Aerospace Engineering for maintenance of Ukrainian aircraft. Part of the work will be performed by subcontractors.
According to retired US Navy Rear Admiral Mark Montgomery, a technical inspection in the US takes between two and six weeks, while in Belgium it can take up to 40 weeks .
Another Western source told the WSJ that more than half of Ukraine’s F-16s are currently in an uncertain maintenance status. With slower rates of operation and repair, the available life of the aircraft could be exhausted by the end of the year.
Fighter jets engaged in combat require more maintenance than those used in peacetime, and their readiness can also be affected by shortages of individual components.
Retired US Air Force Lieutenant General David Deptula called the situation “a failure in the technical support system that is turning into an air defense crisis.”
It was previously reported that Ukrainian engineers have already created the first means to combat the Shahed jets. They have been tested in operation and have already had their first successful downings.