The Ukrainian Air Force has stepped up the use of its donated
F-16 Vipers supporting its troops fighting in Russia’s Kursk region, according to the
Kremlin-connected Rybar Telegram channel. The F-16s are serving as escort aircraft for Ukraine’s Soviet-era MiG-29 Fulcrum bomb trucks.
“They fly in groups of three aircraft,” Rybar claimed. “One F-16 and two MiG-29s, which act not only as cover aircraft but also to carry out strikes – the latter are armed with JDAM and Hammer guided air bombs.”
The MiG-29s “fly close to the border, while American aircraft keep a distance,” Rybar posited. “Most likely, they act as ‘hunters’ for our aircraft. Colleagues noted that the F-16s are armed with
AIM-120 Advanced Medium-Range Air-to-Air Missiles (AMRAAMs).
As we recently reported, Ukraine is also using the Vipers on air-to-ground missions, which you can read more about
here.