F‑16s bolster Ukrainian air force but face missile shortages

The first F-16 aircraft will arrive in Ukraine within a few weeks. They will significantly boost the Ukrainian Air Force, which has been struggling. However, even Ukrainians acknowledge that there will be challenges. They are concerned that they may not have enough AIM-120 AMRAAM air-to-air missiles used by NASAMS air defense systems. We explain why these missiles are essential for the F-16.

Ukraine will receive its first aircraft within the next few weeks, but their number will likely be much lower than expected. Nevertheless, even a few aircraft will allow the Ukrainian Air Force to operate on a larger scale than at present.

However, for the F-16 to perform their role as hunters of aircraft from the Su-30/34/35 family carrying, among other things, FAB bombs, there needs to be sufficient availability of medium-range AIM-120 AMRAAM air-to-air missiles.

Meanwhile, a Ukrainian representative mentioned an issue because these missiles are also used by the Ukrainian air defense systems utilizing NASAMS batteries. At present, there might be a shortage of missiles for dual use.

The AIM-120 AMRAAM missiles are medium-range air-to-air missiles with a "fire and forget" feature, a significant advantage over older solutions. For the AIM-120 AMRAAM, the pilot only needs to briefly illuminate the target with the aircraft's onboard radar, after which they can engage another target, as the missile has its radar to track the target independently.

The range of the AIM-120 AMRAAM missile in the latest versions exceeds 62 miles when launched at high altitude, and its speed is over Mach 4 (3,070 mph). In the initial phase, the missile flies toward the target based on data obtained from the aircraft, guided by an INS and GPS tandem, supported in the latest versions by target position updates received through encrypted communication links.

As the missile approaches the target within a few or several miles, guidance is taken over by the onboard active radar seeker, which emits and receives radar waves and can also home in on jamming sources. A roughly 44-pound warhead with a proximity fuse ensures the target's destruction.

This is a very effective weapon whose effectiveness has been confirmed in numerous armed conflicts. The air forces of many NATO countries use it.