Ukrainian F-16s Held The Skies For Three Weeks Without US Missiles

• 5.03.2026, 14:39

The pilots shot down Russian missiles and drones with airborne cannons.

Ukrainian F-16s did not have enough U.S. missiles to destroy Russian drones and missiles for more than three weeks.

This was reported by Reuters.

The missiles in question were AIM-9 Sidewinder air-to-air missiles. Agency sources said that their shortage lasted from late November to mid-December - exactly when the aggressor country was preparing large-scale winter bombardments of Ukraine.

The Ukrainian armed forces had a limited number of such missiles for the entire squadron of aircraft when supplies were suspended.

The shortage of ammunition meant that Ukrainian pilots had to use airborne cannons to destroy drones and performed mostly daytime combat sorties. Night missions were much more dangerous, as it was at night that most enemy drone attacks occurred.

In addition, the SAMs tried to reuse missiles that failed during launches after maintenance.

The situation improved only in December

The situation partially improved in December, when partners transferred new batches of AIM-9 missiles to Ukraine. The sources did not say which countries had transferred the munitions to Kiev.

At the same time, other Reuters interlocutors noted that Germany and Canada had supplied Sidewinder missiles to Ukraine in recent months. In addition, Canada confirmed the transfer of additional AIM-9 missiles from its depots.