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IFC 2026: Ukrainian F-16s score record successes against Russian OWA UAVs, commander notes future fleet sustainment challenges
A Ukrainian Air Force wing commander said at the 2026 International Fighter Conference in Munich that Ukrainian F-16s had accounted for 85% of the service’s reported interceptions of Russian one-way attack drones. The commander credited the wing with 4,700 drone interceptions since Ukraine introduced the Block 15 Mid-Life Update F-16s in August 2024, including 1,100 in October 2026. The targets were predominantly Geran-series aircraft, a Russian derivative of the Iranian Shahed design. The commander also warned that supporting at least three modern Western fighter types would create long-term maintenance and logistics challenges.