Canada and Germany Fill Ukrainian F-16 Missile Shortage

Ukrainian F-16 fighter jets experienced a critical shortage of U.S.-made AIM-9 Sidewinder air-to-air missiles for more than three weeks between late November and mid-December 2025. This shortfall forced pilots to conduct only daytime sorties and rely on internal 20mm M61 Vulcan cannons to intercept Russian drones, as night operations were considered too dangerous. In some instances, pilots attempted to reuse missiles that had previously failed to launch.

The shortage occurred immediately before a major Russian winter bombardment of Ukrainian energy infrastructure. The supply gap was resolved in December through deliveries from partners, including Germany and Canada. The Canada Department of National Defence confirmed it donated AIM-9M-8 missiles and related components from its armed forces stocks to complement previous shipments.

These developments coincided with the implementation of the Prioritized Ukraine Requirements List (PURL) system introduced by Donald Trump. Under this model, the United States sells weapons to NATO allies, who then deliver them to Kyiv. While the White House claims progress toward a peace deal, Ukraine continues to report critical ammunition shortages across its air defense network, including the Patriot system.