Ukrainian F-16 downed by friendly fire
The crash in late August killed Ukrainian pilot Aleksey Mes, 30, who had recently returned from training in Denmark. The General Staff of the Ukrainian Armed Forces said at the time that an F-16 fighter jet had crashed while repelling a Russian missile attack. Moscow did not comment on the incident. An investigation is ongoing.
The crash is likely to have been a case of friendly fire involving Ukraine's western-provided Patriot air defense system, columnist Jillian Kay Melchior claimed, citing a Ukrainian lawmaker and other sources, who spoke on condition of anonymity.
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The allegation was first made by Ukrainian lawmaker Maryana Bezuglaya days after the crash. Melchior cited a source with firsthand knowledge of the investigation as saying that physical evidence at the crash site suggested the jet was shot down by a missile.
According to Melchior, the Biden administration withheld the Link 16 tactical network, a key technology that helps ground-based air defense systems distinguish between friendly and enemy aircraft. Link 16 provides real-time situational awareness by connecting all network members, including aircraft, ground units, and air defense.
Neither Ukraine's F-16s nor its Patriot systems were equipped with Link 16 when the jets arrived in Ukraine in mid-2024, the column noted.
'Link 16 is such a vital and sensitive tool that the US might have been reluctant to provide it – in keeping with the abundance of caution that characterized the Biden administration's Ukraine policy.'
While the US has been one of Ukraine's largest military backers, delivery of advanced weaponry was often delayed over concerns about escalating the conflict with Russia. Washington initially hesitated to provide long-range missiles, advanced air defense systems, and fighter jets, only to approve their transfer after months of debate.
The F-16s, delivered to Kiev by Denmark and the Netherlands, were seen as a potential game-changer. However, their effectiveness has been limited by outdated radar systems and the absence of Link 16. Ukraine has received fewer than 20 F-16s so far, and the crash in August was the first reported loss of one of the aircraft.
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NATO F-16 pilot killed in Russian strike – TASS
Last year, Russian President Vladimir Putin said that F-16s would not be able to change the situation on the battlefield. If the jets are used against Russia from airfields in third countries, Moscow will consider them legitimate targets for its armed forces, he warned.
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