Ukrainian F-16 Goes Down Amid Combat With Russian Drone

Ukraine's Air Force has confirmed the loss of another F-16 fighter jet during a combat mission, according to a statement released on May 16. The incident occurred overnight during an operation to repel an air attack.

The Air Force provided a more detailed account, stating that the fighter went down during an encounter with a Russian drone. Communication with the pilot was lost when the aircraft encountered an "emergency situation" on board.

"At approximately 03:30 on May 16, 2025, contact was lost with an F-16 fighter jet. The Ukrainian aircraft was performing a mission (…) when an emergency occurred on board. The pilot steered the aircraft away from a populated area and successfully ejected,” the statement said.

A special commission has been formed to investigate the cause of the crash.

F-16s in Ukraine's Arsenal

According to unconfirmed reports, Ukraine has around eight F-16 fighters remaining, in addition to a small number of Soviet-era MiG-29 and Su-27 jets. Ukraine's Air Force includes Soviet aircraft — MiG-29s and Su-27s. It also has about six to eight F-16s and an unspecified number of helicopters.

Belgium Delays F-16 Deliveries to Ukraine Indefinitely

Belgium has postponed the planned delivery of F-16s to Ukraine, despite earlier commitments to begin transfers in 2024. Defense Minister Theo Francken stated that Belgium still intends to provide Kyiv with 30 F-16 jets but did not specify when the deliveries would begin.

"We will deliver 30 F-16 fighter jets (…) in the coming years, as soon as possible. Once we have our F-35s, we'll transfer the F-16s,” Francken said, without committing to a clear timeline.

Details

The General Dynamics F-16 Fighting Falcon is an American single-engine supersonic multirole fighter aircraft originally developed by General Dynamics for the United States Air Force (USAF). Designed as an air superiority day fighter, it evolved into a successful all-weather multirole aircraft with over 4,600 built since 1976. Although no longer purchased by the U.S. Air Force, improved versions are being built for export. In 1993, General Dynamics sold its aircraft manufacturing business to the Lockheed Corporation, which became part of Lockheed Martin after a 1995 merger with Martin Marietta.