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Automatically translated version. May contain inaccuracies compared to the original.
American Lockheed Martin is discussing the idea of a dedicated F-16 modification tailored to the needs of the Ukrainian Air Force. Such a fighter could receive a modern AESA radar, greater range, and a wider selection of European munitions. However, this is only a proposal so far, not a contract to supply aircraft.
The possible special version of the F-16 was reported by Defence Blog 21 in October, citing sources inside Lockheed Martin.
The information emerged after Volodymyr Zelensky met with representatives of 19 in October. During official talks they discussed support for Ukrainian F-16, pilot training, and cooperation in air defense. However, the President's Office did not announce the creation of a new fighter modification.
What Lockheed Martin proposes to change in the F-16
According to Defence Blog's interlocutors, the American company is considering a fighter variant with increased range and an active electronically scanned array, or AESA. They are also studying deeper integration of European guided bombs and cruise missiles.
Currently Ukrainian pilots mainly operate F-16, which previously served in European NATO countries and underwent a Mid-Life Update modernization. These are combat-capable machines, but their radars belong to an older generation with mechanical scanning. New F-16 Block 70 are equipped with an AESA radar, which electronically steers the beam and allows faster engagement of multiple air targets.
This matters for Ukraine primarily because of the ongoing strikes by Russian drones and cruise missiles, which often fly at low altitudes. Against the ground background such targets are harder to detect, so the capabilities of the onboard radar directly affect a fighter's effectiveness as an element of air defense. At the same time, actual detection range will depend on target size, altitude, and the specific equipment configuration.
Why Ukraine needs an F-16 specifically for air defense
During the meeting with Lockheed Martin, Zelensky emphasized the effectiveness of F-16 against Russian drones. According to him, the aircraft are already helping repel mass "Shahed" attacks, and Ukraine expects the continuation of their support program.
The importance of these aircraft increased with the appearance of faster Russian UAVs. Militari 24 previously wrote that Ukraine is scaling up production of specialized interceptors against the jet-powered "Shaheds", but fighters also remain an important tool for countering such targets.
Defence Blog, citing previously published data, claims that F-16 perform about 80% of the combat sorties of the Ukrainian Air Force, and one aviation unit is credited with destroying over a thousand Russian drones and cruise missiles. These figures should be seen as the publication's information, not as separately released current statistics from Ukrainian command.
A new aircraft or upgrades to existing ones
Defence Blog's sources did not specify whether the special version would mean producing new F-16, upgrading already delivered aircraft, or both. Its cost, potential purchase volumes, and the list of European munitions the manufacturer would like to integrate are also unknown.
Ukraine already has trained pilots and technicians for this platform, so developing the F-16 looks like a practical way to expand the air force's combat capabilities without switching to a completely new aircraft type. As Militari 24 previously reported, the Air Force is considering the F-16, Gripen, and Rafale as the three main Western platforms for further aviation development.
A separate issue concerns maintenance of the existing F-16. In early October 24 Channel reported delays in repairing Ukrainian fighters at European facilities. Therefore, during talks with Lockheed Martin Kyiv is also interested in developing repair capabilities directly in Ukraine, which would allow aircraft to return to combat operations more quickly.
What else was discussed with Lockheed Martin
The President's Office confirmed that the parties also discussed expanding cooperation on interceptors for Patriot. Ukraine is interested in increasing their supply and possible licensed production on its own territory.
Militari 24 has already covered this topic in a piece about talks on licenses for PAC-2 and PAC-3. Production of PAC-3 is a separate line of Lockheed Martin's activities and is not directly related to the possible new F-16 version.
Despite Kyiv's interest, Defence Blog sources acknowledge there are currently no concrete negotiations on a special Ukrainian modification of the F-16. Launching such a program would require official agreements, US government approvals, funding, and definition of the technical configuration. Therefore it is too early to speak about delivery timelines.
Document: PDF proof of the original version of the news item "Винищувачі F-16 для полювання на "Шахеди": у США розглядають нову конфігурацію для України". It records the publication content at the moment of the first scan, the preservation date and the source: Channel 24.
