Ukraine’s F-16s are fighting with help from a USAF electronic-warfare unit

A U.S. Air Force unit loaded Ukrainian F-16s with new electronic warfare capabilities ahead of the jets’ delivery—and plans to reprogram them based on data collected in combat. 

The 68th Electronic Warfare Squadron, a small unit based at Eglin Air Force Base, Florida, was tasked with reprogramming the electronic warfare system aboard F-16s being donated by Denmark and the Netherlands to enable them to survive Russian jamming and other electromagnetic attacks.

Air Force engineers first had to understand an unfamiliar electronic warfare system, since the system on the F-16s transferred from Denmark and the Netherlands isn’t used by the U.S. But with data supplied by Denmark and Norway, the unit was able to understand the new system and then sent personnel abroad to develop and test the system with allies, according to a press release.   

“This is not our standard operating procedure,” the 68th EWS director in a statement. “The fact that the team was able to figure out the system in two weeks, go in country with a partner to develop a best-ever mission data file is unheard of and is thanks to the talent here in the squadron and the wing.”

The unit will receive data collected from the Ukrainians during combat, and use that to improve its electronic warfare capabilities, according to the Air Force.   

“With Ukraine now being onboarded as an official foreign military sales case for the 68th EWS, the unit will provide reprogramming capabilities based on feedback from the Ukrainians. Traditionally, feedback from FMS cases is derived from training environments; this case will provide combat-tested data to improve capabilities,” the release said. 

Both sides have used EW capabilities like jamming and spoofing during the Ukrainian-Russo war. Russia’s electronic warfare devices have knocked down many U.S. precision weapons sent to Ukraine. While the Ukrainian F-16s’s reprogrammed EW system won't be able to hold off every threat, it will help the jets survive. 

“When you’re talking about a near-peer conflict, you need all of your coalition partners to operate with the same playbook so you can achieve spectrum dominance,” said the 68th EWS director, whom the press release did not identify by name. “One F-16 with a reprogrammed pod won’t achieve air dominance alone, but it may give you a pocket of air superiority for a moment’s time to achieve an objective that has strategic importance and impact.”

Ukraine received its first batch of F-16s this summer from Denmark and the Netherlands. Belgium and Norway are also planning to transfer jets to Ukraine, and altogether, the country could eventually receive more than 60 jets from Western allies.