Ukraine's F-16 Pilots Equipped With New Cutting Edge Technology

F-16 fighter jet pilots in Ukraine are using advanced helmet-mounted system that could increase how well Kyiv's forces can leverage the Western-donated jets against Russia's forces.

Ukraine's pilots, at the helm of recently delivered U.S.-made F-16s, are using the Joint Helmet-Mounted Cueing System, or JHMCS, Kyiv has said.

The JHMCS is an advanced helmet system designed to help pilots increase their situational awareness and how easily they can engage targets. It is jointly made by Israel defense manufacturer Elbit Systems and Collins Aerospace, formerly Rockwell Collins.

The JHMCS is compatible with F-15 and F/A-18 fighter jets, as well as F-16s. They work alongside the AIM-9X—or Sidewinder—short-range air-to-air missile that Ukraine has received.

"We are now at a new phase in the development of our Air Force," Ukraine's defense ministry said over the weekend.

Ukraine's government-backed United24 fundraising platform shared footage of Ukrainian personnel using the JHMCS, describing the helmet-mounted systems as a "major advantage" for Ukrainian F-16 pilots.

"These state-of-the-art sights replace the indicator on the windshield, and the shot into the sight is made regardless of the helmet direction," the platform said, saying Russian pilots had no comparable targeting and indicating system.

Kyiv officially confirmed earlier this month that the Lockheed Martin-made aircraft had arrived in the war-torn country and were already operational with Ukraine's air force. "I am proud of all our guys who have mastered these aircraft and have already started using them for our country," Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky said.

The Netherlands, Denmark, Norway and Belgium pledged a total of approximately 80 jets to Ukraine, after the U.S. greenlit the transfer a year ago.

F-16s are the most significant aid commitment from Kyiv's Western backers, but required overseas training and new infrastructure.

Though not a game-changer in themselves at a time when Russia has advanced in eastern Ukraine, the jets will be a significant upgrade to Ukraine's Soviet-era air force, battered by nearly two-and-a-half years of full-scale war with Russia's superior and more numerous fleet.

They are likely to be used to bolster the country's air defenses against Russian barrages, fending off destructive aerial bombs while striking vital Russian assets.

They will also be an attractive propaganda and military target for Russian forces. The Kremlin has indicated Russian soldiers have been offered rewards for taking out Ukraine's F-16s. Ukraine will need to take out Russian air defense systems far behind the front line with long-range weapons to be able to use the F-16s effectively and cut down the risk of being shot down, Western analysts have suggested.

Kyiv has indicated that some of the aircraft will be stored at bases outside Ukraine's borders to protect the aircraft.

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