Will Ukraines F-16s Lead To More Aircraft Shoot Downs?

The first 6 or 10 F-16 Fighting Falcons have already been delivered to Ukraine and are currently being used to defend the skies from missile and drone attacks (possibly not in an air superiority or ground attack role at this stage). The next batch of F-16s is expected to arrive in the country by the end of the year, with more following through 2025 and 2026 – meanwhile, the first three French-supplied Mirage 2000-5s are expected to arrive in the first quarter of 2025. But will these fighter jets lead to more shoot-downs? The short answer is yes, but it’s not what you think.