Ukrainian F-16 fighter jets are facing a severe shortage of air-to-air missiles, military news website TWZ reported.
The supply deficit is so acute that the Ukrainian Air Force is anxiously tracking incoming missile shipments to determine whether new stockpiles will arrive before the next Russian airstrike.
According to the outlet, Ukrainian F-16 aircraft rely primarily on two key air-to-air weapons: the AIM-9 Sidewinder and the AIM-120 Advanced Medium-Range Air-to-Air Missile, commonly known as the AMRAAM.
The F-16 Fighting Falcon is a US-designed multirole tactical fighter jet supplied by Western allies to strengthen Ukraine's national defense. The AIM-9 Sidewinder is a short-range infrared heat-seeking missile designed for close-range aerial combat, while the AIM-120 AMRAAM is an all-weather, radar-guided missile capable of hitting targets at medium ranges.
Without sufficient missile stocks, Ukrainian pilots have been forced to try intercepting aerial targets using the aircraft's built-in 20-millimeter six-barrel M61A1 Vulcan rotary cannon.
The M61A1 Vulcan is an electrically or hydraulically driven Gatling-style automatic cannon integrated into military fighters. TWZ acknowledged that resorting to cannon fire for aerial interceptions creates major risks for flight crews.
The publication reported that using internal guns is especially dangerous when pilots attempt to engage small or slow-moving airborne targets. Interception attempts become even more hazardous when carried out at night, when visual acquisition is limited.
Armament changes and future fighter plans
Questions regarding the armament configuration of Ukrainian jets were previously highlighted in October. The Telegram channel Osvedomitel reported that a Ukrainian Air Force F-16AM fighter jet was spotted carrying an unusual weapons configuration, which included precision-guided bombs rather than relying solely on air-to-air missiles.
The F-16AM designation refers to upgraded mid-life update variants of the fighter jet, which feature improved radar systems, refined avionics, and expanded weapons capabilities.
Concerns over fighter munitions and long-range weapons were also addressed in June by Alexander Stepanov, a military expert at the Institute of Law and National Security of the Russian Presidential Academy of National Economy and Public Administration, also known as RANEPA.
Stepanov stated that JAS 39 Gripen fighter jets, which Sweden plans to begin delivering to the Armed Forces of Ukraine in 2027, are capable of carrying German Taurus cruise missiles.
The JAS 39 Gripen is a lightweight, single-engine multirole fighter jet manufactured by Swedish aerospace firm Saab. Sweden is a Scandinavian country that has pledged defense support to Ukraine. The Taurus missile is a German-Swedish long-range air-launched precision cruise missile designed to strike heavily fortified ground structures.
Stepanov said the Gripen fighters could be configured to launch Taurus missiles intended for deep strikes into Russian territory, highlighting broader discussions surrounding Ukrainian combat aviation as current air crews work to maintain missile inventories for their F-16 fleet.
