The Ukrainian Air Force managed an impressive feat by shooting down a key command and control Russian aircraft and severely damaging a spy plane. 

Russian Spy Plane and Command and Control Planes: One Lost, One Damaged 

The two Russian aircraft were flying over the Sea of Azov in southeastern Ukraine and about 400 miles from Kyiv when the Ukrainians stuck them. It is yet unclear how Kyiv managed this impressive feat, considering that the two Russian aircraft were flying over Russian-held territory and about 100 miles away from the frontlines. 

“The A-50 was shot down and it exploded. The Il-22 was badly damaged but, unfortunately for us, it managed to make an emergency landing in Anapa,” Ukrainian Chief of Military Intelligence Kyrylo Budanov said. 

Although it might not look like it at first glance, this is an important loss to the Russian Aerospace Forces. 

With a value of over $300 million per plane, the Beriev A-50 is an airborne early warning and control aircraft designed to coordinate combat aircraft. In essence, the large aircraft is an airborne control tower that can guide fighter jets and bombers to their targets and make sure that they don’t collide in midair. The Russian military has used the A-50 to enable its long-range strikes campaign against Ukraine.

The Ukrainian Military Intelligence assesses that Moscow has eight A-50 remaining. The small number of available aircraft and the poor state of the Russian defense and aerospace industry after almost two years of heavy sanctions will hamper Russian air operations over Ukraine. 

The Ilyushin Il-20 specializes in electronic warfare and intelligence collection. The aircraft of the type involved in the incident was severely damaged, and it will take time to be airborne again (if it can be repaired).

Air Power over Ukraine: F-16 Fighters are Coming Soon

Although neither side has managed to establish air superiority over Ukraine, air power continues to play an important part in the conflict.

Moscow uses fighter jets and strategic bombers to launch stand-off munitions against Ukrainian urban centers and critical infrastructure. Because of the long range, the aircraft remain outside the Ukrainian air defense umbrella and can’t be targeted by the Western systems in use by the Ukrainian military. 

On the other side, Ukrainian aircraft are also conducting long-range strikes but against military, and not civilian, targets.

Ukraine is set to receive several F-16 Fighting Falcons from Denmark, Norway, Belgium, and the Netherlands. The exact number of aircraft to be delivered is to be determined, and it will take several months, even years, for the transfer to be completed.

The U.S.-made fighter jet will give the Ukrainian Air Force a much-needed qualitative boost over its Russian adversary. Equipped with the right munitions, such as the AGM-88 High-Speed Anti-Radiation Missile (HARM), the F-16 Fighting Falcon can be the menace of Russian air defense systems and create the conditions for temporary air superiority over parts of the battlefield.

However, unless it is in considerable numbers, the F-16 fighter jet is unlikely to change the face of the air war over Ukraine in a revolutionary manner. 

About the Author  

Stavros Atlamazoglou is a seasoned defense journalist specializing in special operations and a Hellenic Army veteran (national service with the 575th Marine Battalion and Army HQ). He holds a BA from Johns Hopkins University and an MA from the Johns Hopkins School of Advanced International Studies (SAIS). His work has been featured in Business Insider, Sandboxx, and SOFREP. Email the author: [email protected].

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