Media outlet names possible cause of F-16 crash in Ukraine in August

A F-16 fighter jet. Stock photo: Getty Images

US news outlet Breaking Defense has learned some details of the F-16 crash that killed Ukrainian pilot Oleksii Mes, including that the crash could have been caused by debris from a downed Russian missile.

Source: Breaking Defense with reference to its sources

Details: Breaking Defense noted that one possibility is that the F-16 accidentally flew through a cloud of debris from an intercepted and shot-down Russian missile.

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Quote: “These fragments of the destroyed missile may have caused damage to the engine and other parts of the aircraft, causing the F-16 to break apart and/or the death of the pilot before he could eject.”

Details: Breaking Defense pointed out that this was the most likely explanation, given previous precedents.

After all, according to the outlet’s source, Ukraine has already lost four fighters for the same reason – two MiG-29s and two Su jets.

The source added that the previous losses did not attract as much attention because they were “not expensive modern fighters”.

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