In the early hours of Friday (16th), around 3:30 AM local time, the Armed Forces of Ukraine lost contact with an F-16 fighter jet during an air defense mission. The jet was engaged in repelling an enemy air attack when an onboard emergency occurred.
According to preliminary information from the Communications Department of the Ukrainian Air Force Command, the pilot managed to shoot down three enemy targets before the malfunction. He was engaging a fourth target using the aircraft’s cannon when the emergency situation arose.
The pilot maneuvered the jet away from populated areas before activating the ejection system. He was quickly rescued by search and rescue teams and evacuated to a safe location.
Military authorities reported that the pilot’s condition is satisfactory. He is safe and not in any life-threatening condition. A commission has been formed to investigate the incident in detail and has already begun its work.
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Source and images: Communications Department of the Air Force Command of the Armed Forces of Ukraine – Facebook @kpszsu | Telegram @ministry_of_defense_ua. This content was created with the help of AI and reviewed by the editorial team.
