Ukraine Needs 20mm F-16 Ammo to Down Russian Jet Drones

Ukraine is seeking to acquire tens of hundreds of thousands of 20-millimeter rounds for its F-16 fighter jets in order to combat Russia's increasing deployment of jet-powered attack drones. The Ukrainian government is in discussions with various European nations and ammunition manufacturers regarding the potential supply of these rounds, as reported by Bloomberg on September 30th.

The ammunition would be fired from the F-16's built-in six-barrel rotary cannon, the M61A1 Vulcan, which fires 6,000 rounds per minute. According to Bloomberg, destroying a single drone may require around 150 rounds, and at the current pace of Russian attacks, Ukraine could require approximately 10,000 rounds per day. While Ukraine has previously used AIM-9 Sidewinder and AIM-120 AMRAAM missiles, which are more expensive and necessary for ground-based air defense systems, against aerial targets, the use of cannon ammunition allows pilots to conserve guided missiles for higher priority targets.

Each Ukrainian F-16 carries 500 semi-armor piercing, high-explosives, incendiary (SAPHEI) PGU-28 20mm cartridges. However, employing the gun against airborne targets requires pilots to approach drones at close range, as each aircraft can only carry a limited number of rounds. Despite the potential dangers posed by falling debris and overspray from natural projectile dispersion when intercepting drones over populated areas, the use of 20-millimeter ammunition is seen as a more cost-effective and widely available alternative to scarce air-to-air missiles.

Global supplies of this ammunition are reportedly more plentiful than stocks of Patriot and Western air-to-air missiles, potentially enabling Ukraine to obtain the rounds more quickly. Russia has significantly intensified its use of jet-powered drones, with launch numbers surging from about 350 in June to approximately 2,850 in August.

Ukrainian officials have selected the first prototypes of a dedicated countermeasure and established deadlines, financing requirements, and production volumes for these systems. Ukraine has also received urgent deliveries of F-16 ammunition from Belgium, Spain, and other partners.