The crash of a Ukrainian F-16 in August 2024—believed to have been accidentally shot down by a Patriot missile—might have been prevented if Kyiv had access to the Link 16 tactical data system, according to a report by The Wall Street Journal.
Citing anonymous sources familiar with the matter, The Wall Street Journal reported on February 14 that the U.S. did not provide Ukraine with key technologies necessary to ensure safe air operations, increasing the risk of friendly fire incidents.
“The F-16s delivered to Ukraine were missing a critical system that allows air defense units to distinguish them from enemy aircraft. This incident could have been avoided if the Biden administration had granted Ukraine access to this technology,” wrote WSJ editorial board member Jillian Kay Melchior.
The Role of Link 16 in Preventing Friendly Fire
Link 16 is a real-time tactical data network used by the U.S. and its allies to enhance situational awareness. The system integrates fighter jets, air defense systems, command centers, and other military assets into a unified network, improving coordination and reducing the risk of misidentification.
“This capability makes combat operations safer while making it harder for adversaries to gain the upper hand. It also minimizes risks for pilots during chaotic battles by ensuring that friendly forces always know their locations,” Melchior explained.
Neither U.S. nor Ukrainian officials have commented on the report.
Did a Patriot Missile Down the Ukrainian F-16?
Following the August 26, 2024 crash, Ukrainian lawmaker Mariana Bezugla, then deputy chair of the Defense Committee in Ukraine’s parliament, claimed that the F-16 had been shot down by a Patriot missile due to “lack of coordination between military units.” However, she provided no evidence, and Ukraine’s Air Force leadership dismissed her remarks while also withholding the official findings of their investigation.
Ukraine first received Patriot missile defense systems in April 2023. Daria Kaleniuk, co-founder of the International Center for Ukrainian Victory (ICUV), revealed that the Link 16 system was deliberately removed from the Patriot batteries delivered to Ukraine.
“At the time, no one expected Ukraine to receive F-16s in the near future,” Kaleniuk stated. The ICUV was among the organizations lobbying Western governments to send F-16s to Ukraine.
However, even after the U.S. and its allies approved the transfer of F-16s, the technology gap was not addressed.
“By the time Ukraine received its first F-16s, neither the jets nor the Patriot systems were equipped with Link 16,” Kaleniuk noted.
U.S. Concerns Over Link 16 in Ukraine
The Biden administration reportedly hesitated to provide Ukraine with Link 16 due to its high sensitivity. The system is considered vital for U.S. and allied military operations, and deploying it in Ukraine could risk Russian intelligence gaining access to the technology.
“The U.S. has also been cautious about escalating tensions with Russia. As a result, Washington has delayed weapon deliveries and restricted access to advanced military technologies,” Melchior wrote.
On August 29, 2024, the Ukrainian military confirmed that an F-16 crashed while responding to a wave of Russian missile and drone attacks three days earlier. At the time, U.S. defense officials told Reuters that the crash was unlikely caused by Russian fire, instead pointing to “pilot error or a technical failure.”
The incident occurred less than a month after Ukraine received its first batch of F-16s from Western allies. Lieutenant Colonel Oleksiy Mes, one of Ukraine’s top fighter pilots, was killed in the crash.
When asked about the possibility that a Ukrainian Patriot system mistakenly shot down the F-16, a Pentagon spokesperson at the time said it was a matter for Kyiv to address.
(Sources: WSJ, Ukrainska Pravda, Bulgarian Military)
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