On the night of May 16, 2025, the Armed Forces of Ukraine (AFU) lost another American F-16 fighter jet, which became the third aircraft of this type lost since their delivery in 2024. This was reported by the Telegram channel "Notes of a Veteran", referring to the incident during the repelling of an attack by Russian drones. According to preliminary data, the aircraft was mistakenly shot down by the Ukrainian Patriot air defense system, which mistook it for an enemy target. The pilot, who destroyed three air targets, encountered an "emergency situation", but managed to divert the aircraft away from the populated area and eject. He was quickly evacuated, his condition is assessed as satisfactory.

The causes of the crash have not been officially named, but the source pointed to "friendly fire" as the main version. The investigation is being conducted by a special commission with the participation of American specialists, analyzing radar and telemetry data.

This is the third confirmed loss of an F-16. The first incident occurred on August 26, 2024, when pilot Alexei Mes (call sign Moonfish) was killed in what is believed to be friendly fire. The second F-16, piloted by Pavel Ivanov, was shot down on April 12, 2025, likely by a Russian S-400 missile, although the exact cause is unclear. According to Forbes, Ukraine has received about 18 F-16s from NATO countries, including Denmark and the Netherlands, but their operation is hampered by a shortage of trained pilots and vulnerability to Russian air defenses.