Over the past week, various images and videos circulating on social media have provided insight into the operational status of the F-16 fighter jets being integrated into the Ukrainian Air Force. These visuals suggest that the aircraft are not only being deployed for air defense missions but are also engaging in ground attack operations. A series of widely shared images indicate that Ukrainian Fighting Falcons are now conducting combat patrols equipped with U.S.-supplied GBU-39 glide bombs.
Since the first reports of their arrival in Ukraine in early August, followed by an official presentation led by President Volodymyr Zelensky, the Ukrainian Air Force has been in the process of integrating F-16s transferred from Denmark, the Netherlands, and Belgium, with support from the United States.
Although estimates vary, Ukraine is expected to receive between 80 and 90 F-16s from its Western allies. A tentative breakdown of these aircraft, subject to updates, includes 24 fighters from the Netherlands, 19 from Denmark, 12 from Norway (plus 10 designated for spare parts), and 30 from Belgium.
As reported in August, the initial batches of F-16s primarily consisted of aircraft from the Royal Danish Air Force. Recently, amid the arrival of the first Mirage 2000-5F jets, the Dutch government also confirmed the delivery of F-16s that had been decommissioned in September.
However, the transfer of F-16s to Ukraine has been contingent on advancements in pilot and support crew training, as well as infrastructure development. This has meant that the first aircraft were initially used exclusively for air defense missions over Kyiv and other strategic locations. During this period, the loss of the first Ukrainian F-16 was officially confirmed, with the added tragedy of the pilot’s death. As of now, no further losses or combat-related incidents involving Ukrainian Fighting Falcons have been reported.
Recently, a series of images and videos have provided a clearer picture of the integration process of the American-made fighter, which is now being used in ground attack missions. This is evidenced by the sighting of a Ukrainian F-16 equipped with GBU-39 glide bombs, supplied as part of the U.S. and European military aid packages.
In particular, the first image shows an F-16 returning from a mission carrying two AIM-9X Sidewinder air-to-air missiles and a single AIM-120 AMRAAM on one wingtip, suggesting that the other had been used during the sortie. A quick analysis later confirmed that the BVR missile in question was the AIM-120C, which offers significant advantages over the older AIM-120A/B variants, particularly in terms of electronic countermeasure resistance and improved guidance systems.
Subsequently, another image provided a more detailed view of the configurations used by Ukrainian F-16s, showing one aircraft armed with a mix of AIM-120C AMRAAM, AIM-9L, and AIM-9X Sidewinder missiles, along with eight GBU-39 Small Diameter Bombs (SDBs). Further analysis of the image revealed that the F-16 was also equipped with an ALQ-131 electronic countermeasures pod.
This detail is particularly relevant for ground attack missions, as the ALQ-131 pod enhances the aircraft’s ability to jam enemy radar systems through various electronic countermeasures. Its modular design allows it to operate across multiple frequencies and be reprogrammed to counter evolving threats.
As noted in late August 2024, the United States assisted European nations in upgrading and maintaining their F-16s before transferring them to Ukraine. This process included electronic warfare subsystem upgrades, carried out by the U.S. Air Force’s 68th Electronic Warfare Squadron.
Finally, while the presence of GBU-39 glide bombs in Ukraine’s arsenal is not new—since they are already used by Soviet-era fighters like the MiG-29 and Su-27—the significant update here is the confirmation that Ukrainian F-16s, previously only known to conduct air-to-air missions, are now employing them for ground strikes.
Weighing 250 pounds (approximately 110 kilograms), the GBU-39 is a small-diameter glide bomb that entered service with the U.S. Air Force (USAF) in 2006. Depending on the variant, guidance systems can include GPS, inertial, or laser guidance, with engagement ranges exceeding 100 kilometers when launched from an aircraft.
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