An American F-16 fighter jet was recently spotted in the skies over Odessa, causing considerable attention and concern. Numerous photographs and videos circulating on the Internet show the fighter carrying both AIM-9 missiles and longer-range AIM-120 AMRAAM missiles. These missiles pose a serious threat to Russian aviation in the region.

Although the exact type of AIM-120 AMRAAM missiles that were spotted on the fighter remains unknown, experts believe that even if they are AIM-120C missiles, their range of up to 105 kilometers poses significant risks. The range of such missiles allows them to effectively hit targets at long distances.

The appearance of an American fighter over Odessa may be a demonstration that the Ukrainian Armed Forces intend to protect the region from attacks by FABs with UMPC over the Black Sea. At the same time, the range of AIM-120 AMRAAM missiles is almost twice the launch range of FABs.