2026年7月8日，乌克兰空军使用F-16战机在空战中击落俄罗斯Su-35战机[1]。这一战果于7月9日由乌克兰方面公布[1]，随后美军参谋长联席会议主席丹·凯恩在7月中旬的国会听证会上公开证实[1]。
这是乌克兰接收F-16战机以来首次在实战中击落俄方先进战机[1]。乌克兰获得的F-16战机主要为F-16AM/BM早期升级款，来自欧洲国家[1]，其中大多数已经服役超过20年[1]。这些战机在雷达性能和机载导弹射程等关键指标上均逊于Su-35[1]，此次战例引发舆论对俄制战机设计理念和实用性的质疑[1]。
Ukrainian forces achieved a significant military milestone on July 8, 2026, when an F-16 fighter jet successfully shot down a Russian Su-35 aircraft in combat operations [1]. The Ukrainian military disclosed this engagement on July 9, and the incident gained further credibility when U.S. Joint Chiefs of Staff Chairman Dan Kane publicly confirmed the downing during congressional testimony in mid-July [1]. This marked the first time since Ukraine received F-16s that the country had successfully destroyed an advanced Russian fighter in actual combat [1].
The F-16 aircraft operated by Ukraine are primarily earlier-model F-16AM/BM variants sourced from European nations, with most having been in service for over two decades [1]. Despite significant technological disadvantages—including inferior radar capabilities and shorter-range air-to-air missiles compared to the Su-35—the Ukrainian pilots managed to achieve this tactical success [1]. The engagement has prompted considerable debate about the design philosophy and practical effectiveness of Russian aircraft in modern warfare.
