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BREAKING — Ukraine Loses Another F-16, But Scores 3 Kills Before Ejecting
This loss is the third confirmed F-16 crash in Ukrainian service since the jets began arriving in July 2024.
At approximately 3:30 a.m. local time on May 16, Ukraine’s Air Force lost contact with one of its American-made F-16 fighter jets during an active mission to repel a Russian air attack.
The good news? The pilot lived. The bad news? It’s the third confirmed combat loss of Ukraine’s fledgling F-16 fleet, and these aircraft aren’t exactly coming off an assembly line in bulk.
According to official reports, the pilot engaged four hostile airborne targets, downed three using the aircraft’s internal cannon, and was moving to engage a fourth when something inside the jet gave out.
An emergency developed on board. Rather than risk the aircraft crashing into a populated area, the pilot made the textbook call: steered the crippled aircraft away from humans, ejected, and was quickly recovered by a search-and-rescue team.
The pilot is reportedly in satisfactory condition, no threat to life or long-term health. Meanwhile, the Ukrainian Air Force has launched a formal commission to investigate the incident.
