Colonel Aleksandr Diakiv, deputy commander of the Ukrainian Air Force, said the fighters have become a central part of Ukraine’s defence against airborne threats. “F-16 aircraft have been extremely effective against Russian air threats. Our F-16 aircraft have shot down around 2,000 aerial targets in total,” Diakiv said.
During one major missile attack, Ukrainian F-16 pilots destroyed 24 cruise missiles, according to Diakiv. In December 2024, one pilot shot down six cruise missiles during a single mission.
“F-16 aircraft are also very effective against Shahed drones. Not only by using air-to-air missiles, but also by using the aircraft’s cannon,” Diakiv said.
“The examples clearly show that F-16 aircraft save civilian lives by stopping threats before they hit populated areas,” he added. Ukrainian F-16s have also destroyed about 350 ground targets, including command posts and ammunition depots.
Ukraine received the first six of 19 F-16s donated by Denmark in July 2024 under an operation known internally as Falcon Away. Denmark and the Netherlands donated a combined 43 F-16 fighters to Ukraine during 2024 and 2025.
Another 12 aircraft from Norway and Belgium are due to undergo maintenance before they can be deployed in Ukraine. Ukrainian pilots and technicians have received training in Denmark with support from Norway, Belgium, Canada and Finland.
Diakiv said the F-16 provides greater detection range than Ukraine’s Soviet-designed MiG-29 and Su-27 fighters. “The advanced radar system of the F-16 aircraft can detect enemy targets at much longer distances than our Soviet-built aircraft, such as the MiG-29 and Su-27,” he said.
“The combination of modern radar and weapons systems enables effective detection and destruction of aerial targets,” Diakiv said. “Unlike ground-based air defence, the aircraft can quickly move to areas where there are threats and thus constitute an agile air defence.”
Ukraine has also equipped its F-16s with U.S.-made Hydra 70 rockets for use against Shahed drones, according to the Danish Armed Forces. The rockets have a range of about 8,000 metres and allow Ukraine to preserve more expensive air-to-air missiles.
Diakiv said Ukraine is building a layered air-defence structure combining Western fighters and ground-based systems with Soviet-era equipment and modern Ukrainian combat drones. “Air defence is the most important priority. Ukraine’s survival depends on our air defence because it protects critical infrastructure and civilians from daily missile attacks and drone attacks and ensures that the country can function at all,” he said.
The Ukrainian Air Force still needs significantly more modern combat aircraft, according to Diakiv. “The Ukrainian Air Force needs around 200 modern combat aircraft to ensure effective air operations and the destruction of aerial threats,” he said.
Denmark has meanwhile shifted its focus from transferring F-16s to sustaining Ukraine’s fleet, according to Colonel Søren Vinther Jensen, head of the Ukraine section within the Danish Defence Command. The support includes spare parts and other assistance aimed at keeping the aircraft operational.
“We know that they have lost F-16 aircraft – including some of those that Denmark has donated. But we also know that the F-16 aircraft make a difference in the air defence of Ukraine every day,” Jensen said.
“The fact that the aircraft have been donated does not mean that Falcon Away is over. On the contrary. There is still a need for a lot of help,” Jensen said.
Source: Honnør.
