Ukrainian F-16 operations constrained by severe air-to-air missile shortage
Ukraine's F-16 force is suffering from an acute shortage of air-to-air missiles, according to reporting by The War Zone. The Ukrainian air force is now frantically tracking incoming missile shipments and waiting to see whether they arrive before Russia's next aerial barrage. The shortage limits the F-16s' ability to defend against cruise missiles and manned aircraft.
Why it matters: The West handed Ukraine advanced jets but not enough weapons to fly them — a predictable sustainment failure that exposes the gap between donor-nation announcements and the logistics needed to keep a fourth-generation fighter fleet operational under wartime tempo.