Profile
- Type
- Multirole fighter aircraft
- Conflict side
- Ukraine
- Origin
- United States / NATO donor aircraft
- Service note
- Introduced in 1979; transferred to Ukraine during the Russia-Ukraine War
Aircraft & UAVs
F-16 Fighting Falcon
The F-16 Fighting Falcon is a U.S.-designed multirole fighter used for air defense, air-to-air combat, and precision strike missions. Ukraine's receipt of the aircraft marked its move toward Western combat aviation during the Russia-Ukraine War, with official Ukrainian reporting confirming that pilots had begun using F-16s by August 2024.
- Conflict side
- Ukraine
- Built by
- General DynamicsLockheed Martin
- Built in
- United States
Service History
- In service
- U.S. Air Force initial operational service from 1979; Ukrainian service announced in 2024
- Used by
- Ukrainian Air Force
- Wars
- Russia-Ukraine War
Production History
- Designer
- General Dynamics
- Designed
- 1970s
- Built by
- General DynamicsLockheed Martin
- Built in
- United States
- Unit cost
- F-16C/D listed by the U.S. Air Force at $18.8 million in fiscal 1998 constant dollars
- Produced
- 1970s-present
- Number built
- More than 4,600 aircraft across the F-16 family
- Variants
- F-16A/B, F-16C/D, F-16 Block 70/72
Specifications
- Crew
- F-16C: one; F-16D: one or two
- Powerplant
- One Pratt & Whitney F100 or General Electric F110 turbofan
- Speed
- About 1,500 mph, Mach 2 at altitude
- Range
- More than 2,002 miles ferry range
- Ceiling
- Above 50,000 feet
- Armament
- One M61A1 20 mm cannon; external stations for air-to-air missiles, air-to-surface munitions, and electronic countermeasure pods
Conflict Usage
- Russia-Ukraine War
- Side: Ukraine
Ukraine received Western-supplied F-16s during the full-scale war and announced in August 2024 that Ukrainian pilots had already started using them in national service.
Related Weapon Systems
Flakpanzer GepardSelf-propelled anti-aircraft gunThe Flakpanzer Gepard is a tracked German self-propelled anti-aircraft gun built around twin 35 mm automatic cannons and onboard search and tracking radars. In Ukraine it fills a short-range air defense role, pairing Leopard 1 mobility with gun-based engagement of low-flying aircraft, helicopters, missiles, and drones.
AGM-88 HARMAir-to-surface anti-radiation missileThe AGM-88 HARM is a U.S. high-speed anti-radiation missile built to home on radar emissions from enemy air-defense systems. In the Russia-Ukraine War, U.S.-supplied HARMs gave Ukrainian aircraft a suppression-of-enemy-air-defenses weapon for forcing or striking Russian radar systems despite the missile's original integration with Western aircraft.
AHS Krab155 mm tracked self-propelled howitzerThe AHS Krab is a Polish 155 mm tracked self-propelled howitzer built by Huta Stalowa Wola around a NATO-standard 52-caliber gun, an armored tracked chassis, and modern fire-control equipment. In Ukrainian service it gives artillery units a mobile Western-caliber gun able to fire standard 155 mm ammunition, displace after missions, and operate in counter-battery-threatened sectors of the Russia-Ukraine War.
AMX-10RCWheeled armored reconnaissance and fire-support vehicleThe AMX-10RC is a French wheeled armored reconnaissance and fire-support vehicle armed with a 105 mm gun. In the Russia-Ukraine War it represents a French transfer of mobile direct-fire armor to Ukrainian forces, intended for reconnaissance and supporting fire rather than main battle tank assault roles.
Archer155 mm wheeled self-propelled howitzerArcher is a Swedish 155 mm L52 wheeled self-propelled howitzer built around rapid automated firing and displacement from an armored cab. In Ukrainian service it adds NATO-caliber mobile tube artillery, with Sweden documenting both donated Archer systems and follow-on barrel support after intensive wartime use.
AS-90155 mm tracked self-propelled howitzerThe AS-90 is a British tracked 155 mm self-propelled howitzer built for armored, mobile indirect fire support. In the Russia-Ukraine War it represents a UK-donated NATO-caliber artillery system for Ukrainian forces, combining a protected tracked chassis, 155 mm ammunition compatibility, rapid burst fire, and a conventional range of about 24.7 km.Sources
F-16 Fighting Falcon Fact SheetPublisher: U.S. Air Force | Note: Supports the aircraft role, contractor, service background, and technical specifications. | Accessed: 2026-06-19Air Force Opens New F-16 Production Line for Foreign Military SalesPublisher: U.S. Air Force | Note: Supports current Lockheed Martin production background and the F-16 Block 70/72 variant context. | Accessed: 2026-06-19Volodymyr Zelenskyy: F-16s Are in UkrainePublisher: Official Website of the President of Ukraine | Note: Directly supports Ukraine's receipt and stated use of F-16 aircraft during the Russia-Ukraine War. | Accessed: 2026-06-19F-16 Fighting Falcon ImagePublisher: Wikimedia Commons | Note: Supports image provenance for the primary F-16 photograph; the file is credited as a U.S. Air Force image. | Accessed: 2026-06-19