Ukrainian F-16s Shoot Down Jet Drones – But Is It Enough?
Zelensky says Ukraine has resorted to costly AIM-9s and AIM-120s air-to-air missiles from Ukrainian F-16s to shoot down Russian jet-powered drones as Canada pledges new packages. The Ukrainian Air Force says pilots also used the 20mm cannon at times, but questions remain whether Ukraine has enough ammunition to shoot down thousands of jet-powered drones, AIM-120s or not.
President Volodymyr Zelensky revealed that Ukraine has been utilizing US-made F-16 fighters to shoot down Russia's jet-powered drones during his visit to Canada. Zelensky stated that Ukraine sometimes resorts to Western air-to-air missiles, such as the US-made AIM-9 and AIM-120, to neutralize newer, faster jet-powered drones. He emphasized that while this approach is costly, it becomes necessary when other methods fail due to the high value of human life.
Canada announced a new $3 billion package for Kyiv, which includes an unspecified number of AIM-9s and AIM-120s. Yuriy Ihnat, the air force's spokesperson, mentioned that Ukrainian F-16s have occasionally used onboard 20mm cannons to down jet-powered drones, indicating a potential risk to the aircraft itself. With Russia's increasing use of jet-powered drones, Ukraine's air defenses face challenges as current interceptor drones struggle to keep up with their high speeds.
Although Ukraine is developing jet-powered interceptor drones as a countermeasure, the use of AIM-9s and AIM-120s by Ukraine raises questions about the effectiveness of this strategy. While the latest AIM-9X Sidewinder missile costs over $450,000 per unit and the AIM-120 around $386,000, these missiles are generally more expensive than interceptor drones.
Furthermore, Ukraine's limited stockpile of these missiles, as well as their use in counter-cruise missile defense, may create a gap in Ukraine's layered air defense system.
Written by urgent.news from Kyiv Post's reporting — not their text. Machine-written — may contain errors; check the original before relying on it.
