U.S. Sends Retired F-16 Airframes to Ukraine for Spare Parts
The United States has quietly delivered retired F-16 fighter jets to Ukraine—not for combat use, but to be dismantled for spare parts that will help keep Kyiv’s operational fleet, provided by European allies, in the air.
“We’ve supported the sustainment of Ukraine’s F-16 fleet by transferring non-operational, decommissioned aircraft to be used as a source of spare parts,” a U.S. Air Force spokesperson confirmed on May 1.
The spokesperson emphasized that these airframes are beyond repair and arrived without critical components such as engines or radar systems. The comment followed viral images showing at least three stripped F-16 fuselages, wrapped in protective covering, being loaded onto a Ukrainian An-124 cargo plane in Arizona last week. The jets appeared without wings, tails, engines, or radomes, and the exact variant remains unclear.
Flight tracking data shows the An-124 departed Tucson, Arizona, on April 26 and landed in Rzeszow, Poland—a major hub for Western military equipment en route to Ukraine.
Denmark, the Netherlands, Norway, and Belgium have collectively pledged to donate 85 U.S.-made F-16s to Ukraine. The first deliveries began in August 2024, and although Kyiv has not disclosed the full count received so far, reports indicate the number is close to 20.
The F-16s represent a significant leap in capability compared to Ukraine’s aging Soviet-era jets. They are especially effective in intercepting cruise missiles—arguably outperforming even ground-based air defense systems in this role.
Initially tasked with rear-line air defense, Ukraine’s F-16s primarily targeted cruise missiles and suicide drones. In February, the aircraft were reportedly spotted carrying air-to-ground weapons for the first time, though their battlefield use remains unconfirmed.
Ukraine lost its first F-16 on August 26, 2024, just weeks after receiving the jets. The incident killed Lt. Col. Oleksiy Mes, one of the country’s top fighter pilots. A second F-16 was shot down on April 12; according to BBC sources, the aircraft may have been struck by three Russian missiles—possibly from an S-400 air defense system or R-37 air-to-air missiles launched from a fighter jet.
Russian forces have also repeatedly targeted Ukrainian F-16 bases with ballistic missiles and suicide drones. Ukraine’s Air Force Command previously confirmed that a Kinzhal hypersonic missile struck one such base, though officials did not disclose the extent of the damage.
(Sources: RBC Ukraine, The War Zone)
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