Ukrainian F-16 fighter jets were left without enough missiles to intercept Russian drones and cruise missiles for almost three weeks late last year, Reuters reported, citing three sources familiar with the situation.
The shortage occurred between late November and mid-December, when supplies from Ukraine's Western partners ran out just as Russia was preparing for a large-scale winter air campaign against Ukrainian infrastructure.
According to the sources, Ukrainian F-16s had only a limited supply of US-made AIM-9 Sidewinder missiles for their entire fleet. At one point, pilots had virtually no missiles to arm their fighters for nearly a month.
Due to the shortage, pilots were forced to fly daytime missions and try to shoot down drones with their aircraft’s onboard guns. However, such operations were too dangerous at night, when massive Russian attacks usually take place. In some cases, pilots even tried to use missiles that had previously failed to fire after being re-serviced.
The situation highlights the heavy dependence of Ukraine’s air defenses on Western arms supplies. Since the start of the full-scale war, Kiev has repeatedly warned of critical shortages of ammunition and air defense systems.
According to the sources, deliveries of AIM-9 missiles were resumed in December, shortly before another major Russian attack. It is not specified which countries have provided the new munitions, but other sources indicate that Germany and Canada have provided such missiles in recent months.
The F-16 fighters, delivered to Ukraine by European partners in 2024, are part of the air component of the Ukrainian air defense system. According to sources, they have already participated in the interception of about 2,000 Russian drones and missiles during combat missions.