Ukraine improves at using F-16s, expert says
Ukrainian pilots are getting much better at flying F-16 jets
and using them to counter Russian missile attacks, U.S. Air Force veteran John
Venable told Business Insider on Jan. 16.
Venable was referencing the recent sortie by a Ukrainian F-16 pilot who managed to shoot down six enemy cruise missiles on Dec. 13, 2024. He noted that intercepting such a number of missiles requires "a high level of coordination among all involved services, exceptional pilot skills, and considerable low-level decision-making freedom."
He emphasized that missile interception is a "complex task" requiring cooperation among all command-and-control systems. The veteran added that the success of the Ukrainian pilot speaks volumes about their command and control. He believes it shows how Ukraine has moved closer to the "Western way of war."
“Russian pilots have a reputation for needing orders from their ground controllers,” said Peter Layton, a former officer in the Royal Australian Air Force.
On Jan. 7, Ukraine's Air Force reported that a Ukrainian F-16 pilot, during a massive Russian missile attack in December 2024, became the first in history to destroy six enemy cruise missiles in a single sortie. The attack included a total of 94 air-, sea-, and land-based cruise missiles targeting Ukrainian cities.
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