Ukraine brought in veteran American and Dutch F-16 pilots to help defend the sky over Kyiv Oblast, according to a report by Intelligence Online.
The program reportedly harnesses their expertise with advanced sensors, notably the Lockheed Martin Sniper targeting pod, first spotted on Ukrainian F-16s in December.
Yurii Ihnat, head of communications for the Ukrainian Air Force Command publicly denied these reports, saying this information is inaccurate and unsupported by evidence.
Officials said that foreign support to Ukraine remains structured through training, equipment transfers, and coordination with partner nations rather than direct operational participation by foreign pilots.
The country already fields F-16s operated by NATO-trained Ukrainians who destroy missiles and drones and strike Russian positions near the front line, even developing their own tactics out of necessity — one pilot claimed that this war is “fundamentally different” from what the allies are used to.
“However, it is in the area of high-tech sensors that the contribution of Western veterans is considered most crucial,” Intelligence Online wrote, mentioning the Sniper pod by name.
The Sniper, which excels at detecting and targeting cruise missiles, may be responsible for Ukraine’s improved shootdown rate.
But local crews have only a “partial” grasp of this system, as they lack years of training the foreigners have, the publication reported, citing unnamed Ukrainian defense officials.
Russia’s ongoing air terror campaign is causing prolonged and repeated energy crises throughout the country.
Ukraine’s F-16s just shot down 34 of 35 Russian cruise missiles—and new tech may be why
Silent and precise
The first of Ukraine's F-16s joined the war in August 2024, used mainly to destroy attack drones and cruise missiles. Four F-16s have been shot down so far but the rest managed to achieve some good results in air defense.
During a Russian missile attack in December, Ukrainian forces shot down 34 of 35 cruise missiles, "mainly" using the F-16s. In January 2025, a single pilot took out six cruise missiles, according to Ukraine's air force command.
The Sniper pods can carry at least some of the credit.
Trending Now
The first images of Ukrainian F-16s carrying these pods appeared online in early December. Imagery confirms the jets are flying with the pods, which include daylight and infrared cameras as well as a laser designator.
While the F-16's nose-mounted APG-66(V)2A radar is still its primary sensor, the $2-million Sniper pod is an important addition. It's a passive sensor, meaning it doesn't emit radiation and doesn't betray the F-16's location. A pilot can switch off their radar and still detect and shoot at Russian targets.
A pilot can then detect a cruise missile or Shahed drone on radar, or on the pod's cameras, and then designate it with a laser. This allows the laser-guided weapons to do their work.
The very first photo of a Ukrainian F-16 carrying a Sniper pod also showed the plane carrying a pair of launchers for AGR-20 Advanced Precision Kill Weapon Systems — rockets upgraded with a precision guidance package.
Improved bombing capabilities on the table
With Sniper pods, the F-16s also unlock another new capability. Last year, the United Kingdom pledged to Ukraine an unspecified number of 1,100-kg Paveway IV guided bombs. The $60,000 Paveway IV is unique in that it's primarily laser-guided, but also has back-up GPS and inertial guidance.
Where primarily GPS-guided bombs, such as Ukraine's American-made Joint Direct Attack Munitions, home in on pre-set coordinates, the Paveway IV follows a laser's sparkle. A skilled pilot can keep his Sniper pod's laser zeroed in on a moving target.
In short, JDAMs are best at striking stationary targets. Paveway IVs can hit moving ones such as mobile air defenses, vehicle convoys, and even ships at sea. The British bombs are the only precision air-to-ground munitions in the Ukrainian inventory with this moving-target capability. It’s not yet clear if and when Ukraine will incorporate these technologies.
