Russian news agency TASS reported that a US-made F-16 fighter jet was shot down in the Zaporizhzhya region as it prepared to launch a missile attack.
“The F-16 aircraft was in a position to launch a missile attack on the area, but was shot down.” This was reported by Vladimir Rogov, Chairman of the Committee on Sovereignty, Patriotic Projects and Veterans Support of the Public Chamber of the Russian Federation, to TASS news agency.
If true, this would be Ukraine’s second loss of F-16 Fighting Falcons.
The original Fighting Falcon crashed after being hit by a barrage of Russian missiles, killing its pilot, Oleksiy Metz, in August of this year.
The Ukrainian military maintains that the crash was not a direct result of an enemy missile attack. According to the report, the pilot destroyed three cruise missiles and one unmanned aircraft in a large-scale Russian attack.
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F-16 deliveries stopped
Ukraine will reportedly have to wait longer than expected for the arrival of Belgian F-16 fighter jets, which were originally scheduled to arrive by the end of this year.
a new report The Belgian daily Le Soir has revealed that the first US-made fighter jet is likely to arrive in 2025, delaying the delivery schedule.
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In May, Ukraine and Belgium signed a security agreement that included the provision of 30 U.S.-made F-16 fighter jets. At the time, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy expressed hope that the first batch would arrive by the end of 2024. However, this schedule is no longer achievable.
Belgian Defense Minister Ludivine Dedonder visited Poland last week to review Belgian Army operations in 2025, during which it was revealed that the delivery of F-16s to Ukraine will not take place this year.
The Belgian Ministry of Defense said the delays were caused by a combination of factors, mainly a lack of sufficiently trained Ukrainian pilots and a lack of spare parts.
The situation is further complicated by the delay in the arrival of the first batch of Lockheed Martin Belgian-made F-35 fighter jets, which are essential to maintaining Belgium’s air defense capabilities.
The report said the minister’s office stressed that the delivery is conditional on the F-35 fighter jets arriving in Belgium.
Training of Ukrainian pilots is also a major concern. President Zelenskiy admitted in August that Ukraine lacks the trained pilots needed to operate the F-16, adding that there is a shortage of both aircraft and personnel.
On August 26, an F-16 fighter jet provided to Ukraine by Western allies crashed while on an air defense mission, killing the pilot. This tragic incident highlights the risks associated with rapid pilot training.
In response, U.S. officials said they are shifting the focus of Ukraine’s F-16 pilot training program from experienced airmen to young cadets.
It was reported at the time that the change could delay Ukraine’s timeline for fully operating Western-made aircraft by several months.
Currently, Ukrainian pilots continue to train with F-16s in several countries, including the United States. Meanwhile, Ukraine received a second batch of F-16 fighter jets from Denmark earlier this month.
