Ukrainian F-16 fighter crashes during combat mission; pilot ejects safely
Ukraine lost one of its F-16 fighter jets during a combat mission in the early hours of May 16, 2025, as confirmed in a statement by the Ukrainian Air Force.
The pilot survived after safely ejecting from the aircraft, which was reportedly conducting operations to repel a Russian air attack.
“On May 16, 2025, at about 03:30, contact was lost with the F-16 aircraft,” the statement reads. “According to preliminary data, the pilot destroyed three air targets and was engaging a fourth using the aircraft’s cannon when an emergency situation arose on board.”
The aircraft was diverted away from a nearby settlement before the pilot ejected. A search and rescue team quickly located and evacuated him. According to the Ukrainian Air Force, the pilot is in a safe location and a satisfactory condition, with no threat to his life or health.
An investigative commission has been formed to determine the cause of the incident. No further details about the nature of the emergency have been disclosed.
This marks the second confirmed crash of an F-16 operated by Ukraine since it began receiving the US-made fighter jets from Western allies in the summer of 2024, under a coalition-backed training and delivery program approved by the Biden administration.
The first crash occurred in late August 2024, when an F-16 went down during a large-scale Russian air assault. On that occasion, the pilot was killed.
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Ukraine has not officially disclosed how many F-16s it has received or how many are currently in operational service, citing security concerns. Since March 2025, Ukrainian forces have also deployed French-supplied Mirage 2000 fighter jets in combat.
Previously, the Ukrainian Air Force has explained its need for 120 to 130 of these aircraft to achieve parity with the Russian Air Force. The fighters are seen as a critical addition to Ukraine’s air defense amid continued Russian aerial attacks. The post Ukrainian F-16 fighter crashes during combat mission; pilot ejects safely appeared first on AeroTime.
Ukraine lost one of its F-16 fighter jets during a combat mission in the early hours of May…
The post Ukrainian F-16 fighter crashes during combat mission; pilot ejects safely appeared first on AeroTime.
