Denmark has expedited the transfer of over 50,000 rounds of 20mm ammunition for the onboard cannons of F-16 fighter jets to Ukraine. Ukrainian pilots are already using the received rounds to intercept Russian jet-powered attack drones.
The Ministry of Defense of Ukraine reported this on October 23. Information about the supply was also published on the department's official website.
The ammunition has already been delivered to Ukraine and is being used to defend cities from air attacks. The Ministry of Defense underscores that F-16 fighters remain one of the most effective means of combatting jet-powered variants of the "Shahed" drones, which Russia is increasingly using for strikes on Ukrainian infrastructure.
This concerns 20mm rounds for six-barrel M61 Vulcan aircraft cannons mounted on F-16 fighters. The use of cannon armament allows destroying aerial targets without using much more expensive air-to-air missiles.
According to DefenseMirror, following Ukraine's appeal Denmark agreed with one of the partner states to redirect to Kyiv some of the ammunition that was previously planned to be sold to that country.
Denmark has previously transferred F-16 fighter jets from its own Air Force to Ukraine. The country is gradually transitioning to newer F-35 aircraft, so it has already sent part of its weapons stockpiles for F-16s to Ukraine or transferred them to other partners.
Ukraine's need for such ammunition remains significant. In early October, President Volodymyr Zelensky reported that to effectively combat jet drones, fighters need to be provided with approximately 5-6 thousand 20mm rounds daily.
The head of state noted at the time that aviation plays an important role in intercepting high-speed Russian drones. At the same time, Ukraine is negotiating with partners to increase stockpiles of suitable rounds.
Previously, "Kurs Ukrainy" reported that Spain, Belgium, and Poland began the process of supplying 20mm ammunition for Ukrainian F-16s. Kyiv is also working on purchasing large batches of such rounds from manufacturers.
The relevance of strengthening this area of air defense grows against the backdrop of an increase in the number of jet drones in Russian attacks. According to the Air Force of the Armed Forces of Ukraine, on the night of October 23 Russia used 176 attack drones of various types, of which 92 were jet-powered.
As of 08:00, Ukrainian air defense shot down or suppressed 140 drones, including 68 jet drones. Aviation, anti-aircraft missile troops, electronic warfare units, and mobile fire groups were involved in repelling the attack.
The Ministry of Defense thanked Denmark for its prompt response to Ukraine's request and emphasized the need for further stable ammunition supplies to protect Ukrainian airspace.
Based on materials: Ministry of Defense of Ukraine, DefenseMirror, Ukrinform
