---
title: "Ukraine to Purchase Tens of Thousands of F-16 Shells to Counter Jet Drones — Bloomberg"
description: "Ukraine is negotiating with Europe to buy tens of thousands of F-16 shells to shoot down jet drones and save scarce Patriot missiles."
date: 2026-09-30T10:20:00.000Z
lang: en
url: https://xab.info/en/posts/ukraine-to-buy-f16-shells-jet-drones
tags: [ukraine, f16, bloomberg, air-defense, drones]
publisher: "XAB.info"
---

# Ukraine to Purchase Tens of Thousands of F-16 Shells to Counter Jet Drones — Bloomberg

![Ukrainian Air Force F-16 fighter jet in flight](https://xab.info/media/2026/09/30/ukraina-zakupit-snaryady-dlya-f16-reaktivnye-drony/ukraina-zakupit-snaryady-dlya-f16-reaktivnye-drony-1.webp)

## 🎯 Key Points

- Ukraine is negotiating the purchase of tens of thousands of 20mm shells for F-16s.
- The shells are needed to intercept Russian jet-powered drones.
- About 150 shells are required per interception, with a daily need of up to 10,000.
- Measures are taken amid shortages and high costs of Patriot system missiles.

The Ukrainian leadership has initiated large-scale negotiations with European partners and major weapons manufacturers to procure significant quantities of 20mm shells. These munitions are designed to be used by the onboard aircraft cannons of F-16 fighter jets currently serving in the Ukrainian Air Force. The main goal of this initiative is to create an effective and economically viable tool for intercepting and destroying new Russian jet-powered drones, which pose a severe threat to critical infrastructure.

### The Economics of Interception and Scale of Needs

According to calculations by military experts and Bloomberg analysts, successfully destroying a single maneuverable jet drone in the air may require an average of about 150 shells. Given the current high intensity of air attacks and regular massive raids, Ukraine's total daily requirement for such ammunition could reach approximately 10,000 units. Shifting to fighter jet cannon armament is seen as a forced but highly pragmatic step amid the depletion of scarce and expensive missiles for Western-made air defense systems.

### Deficit of Missiles for Patriot Systems

The urgent need to find alternative air defense capabilities is driven by dwindling stockpiles of guided anti-aircraft missiles for American Patriot systems. Sources in specialized publications emphasize that modern anti-aircraft missiles are extremely difficult to replenish quickly in the required volumes due to complex production cycles and enormous costs. At the same time, global arsenals hold much larger stocks of 20mm cannon shells, making them a more accessible resource for immediate combat use.

### Contradictory Data

Despite Bloomberg focusing exclusively on the supply of shells for F-16 fighters, the Ukrainian military-political leadership is simultaneously developing its own line of asymmetric responses. Recently, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy held a strategic meeting with the leadership of the Ministry of Defense, discussing the first domestic prototypes of specialized interceptor systems to counter jet drones. Defense Minister Yehor Khmara also stated the need for urgent funding of domestic developments this very autumn, creating a multi-layered countermeasure system where imported aviation ammunition is complemented by local engineering solutions.

### Prospects and Challenges for Ukraine's Air Defense

Integrating F-16 fighter cannon armament into the general air defense system requires not only purchasing the ammunition itself but also mastering target interception tactics by pilots in real time. Experts note that using aircraft cannons against drones involves certain technical complexities, yet the economic efficiency of this method outweighs the risks. Given the limitations of Western financial and military assistance, Kyiv is forced to seek unconventional technological combinations to preserve the combat readiness of Ukraine's skies.

## 🔍 Fact-Check Verification

- [Украина закупит десятки тысяч снарядов для F-16, чтобы сбивать реактивные дроны, - Bloomberg](https://www.rbc.ua/ukr/news/ukrayina-zakupit-desyatki-tisyach-snaryadiv-1790763374.html) - Основной источник информации о переговорах с европейскими поставщиками.
- [Ударные дроны Украины: WSJ о том, как сражаются украинцы в условиях нехватки западной помощи](https://www.rfi.fr/ru/%D1%83%D0%BA%D1%80%D0%B0%D0%B8%D0%BD%D0%B0/20240109-%D1%83%D0%B4%D0%B0%D1%80%D0%BD%D1%8B%D0%B5-%D0%B4%D1%80%D0%BE%D0%BD%D1%8B-%D1%83%D0%BA%D1%80%D0%B0%D0%B8%D0%BD%D1%8B-wsj-%D0%BE-%D1%82%D0%BE%D0%BC-%D0%BA%D0%B0%D0%BA-%D1%81%D1%80%D0%B0%D0%B6%D0%B0%D1%8E%D1%82%D1%81%D1%8F-%D1%83%D0%BA%D1%80%D0%B0%D0%B8%D0%BD%D1%86%D1%8B-%D0%B2-%D0%BE%D1%82%D1%81%D1%83%D1%82%D1%81%D1%82%D0%B2%D0%B8%D0%B8-%D0%B7%D0%B0%D0%BF%D0%B0%D0%B4%D0%BD%D0%BE%D0%B9-%D0%BF%D0%BE%D0%BC%D0%BE%D1%89%D0%B8) - Контекст применения асимметричных средств и БПЛА.
- [Украина перед "Рамштайном" согласовала с партнерами приоритеты: ПВО, снаряды и дроны](https://www.pravda.com.ua/rus/news/2026/05/27/8036701/) - Контекст приоритетов военного снабжения Украины.

## ❓ FAQ

### Q: Why does Ukraine need shells for F-16s?
**A:** The 20mm shells are planned to be used to combat Russian jet drones using the fighter jets' onboard cannons.

### Q: How many shells are needed to intercept one drone?
**A:** According to experts, destroying a single aerial target requires approximately 150 shells.

### Q: Why doesn't Ukraine rely solely on Patriot systems?
**A:** Stockpiles of Patriot missiles are decreasing, and replenishing them is difficult and expensive, making F-16 cannon armament a more accessible alternative.