Russian specialists have assessed how effectively US-made F-16 fighter jets in service with the Ukrainian forces can counter Russian Geran strike drones.

Their conclusion: the potential of the APKWS II (Advanced Precision Kill Weapon System II) can only be realized under favorable conditions. In practice, they argue, the system’s capabilities are far from guaranteed on the battlefield.

According to the analysis, Ukrainian F-16s are equipped with 70-millimeter Hydra rockets fitted with the APKWS II guidance kit. This configuration is used to intercept Geran-2 unmanned aerial vehicles.

Targeting is carried out via Sniper ATP targeting pods mounted under the fuselage of the F-16AM. However, the experts contend that fully leveraging this combination in real combat conditions is крайне difficult.

They maintain that engaging more than seven to ten targets would require exceptional luck on the part of the pilot, such as encountering a dense swarm of Geran-2 drones.

Another limitation highlighted in the study concerns the F-16AM’s radar. Described as outdated, it is said to struggle with detecting small-sized targets at extended ranges, which further complicates the task of countering strike UAVs.