Ukrainian F-16 fighter pilots faced a critical shortage of US-made AIM-9 Sidewinder missiles for three weeks, forcing them to rely on alternative methods to engage drones during combat operations.
Ukrainian pilots operating F-16 fighter jets encountered a dire shortage of American-made AIM-9 Sidewinder missiles from late November to mid-December, with reports indicating that they had only a handful of these critical air-to-air weapons available. This lack of missiles severely limited their operational capabilities in countering the nighttime drone attacks commonly executed by Russian forces. As a result, pilots had to resort to using their aircraft's cannons during daytime flights, which proved to be a dangerous alternative given the conditions of their missions.
