Although the Netherlands, Denmark, Norway, and Belgium were responsible for supplying F-16 multirole fighters to Ukraine, and the United States had initially refrained from transferring its aircraft, it appears that the U.S. has contributed after all. This is suggested by the first official video featuring Ukrainian F-16s, which reveals an interesting detail about two of the jets.
In the video, two of the F-16s seen flying behind Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyi differ from the other two jets shown in midflight and armed. Experts noted a distinctive feature on the two planes: the antennas for the friend-or-foe identification system located in front of the pilot's cockpit.
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The sharp antenna shape is characteristic of the early F-16A models, and the presence of a searchlight on the right side of one aircraft identifies it as an F-16A ADF.
This version of the F-16 was specifically modified for air defense and used to be supplied to the U.S. National Guard. The second aircraft exhibit also has similar antennas but lacks the searchlight.
Besides, both fighters lack the automatic 20mm guns, technical inscriptions and other features of an operating combat aircraft, leading to a conclusion that at least these two F-16s were handed over by the U.S. to serve as decoys in Ukraine. The U.S. is the only plausible source, as this particular version of the F-16 was only exported to Jordan and Thailand, and was leased to Italy.
That's why displaying these aircraft during celebrations in Ukraine posed no risk to actual combat-ready fighters. Using F-16 fuselages as decoys is an effective strategy because their resemblance to real fighters is so close that accurate identification needs close inspection.
From a distance, such as from a satellite, drone, or even binoculars, these old, non-operational F-16 shells will appear indistinguishable from genuine aircraft. It is likely that modern inflatable replicas will be used, too.
In this context, it's crucial to recognize that for the russian invasion forces, destroying Ukrainian F-16s will be a top priority. Therefore, effective use of these fighters depends on employing all available methods and tricks to disguise them, securing their deployment bases, and maintaining the media blackout regime about their activities.
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