March 26 By 17:00 03.26.99 at least one USAF F-16C fighter was lost in air-to-air combat 7km south of Pancevo (map). Serbs said the aircraft was downed by a MiG-29. Four more F-16s were lost due to ground fire in the third wave of attacks. Russian GRU (Main Intelligence Directorate - military intel. service) confirmed that four USAF F-16s were shot down by SAMs and AAAs.
F-16 fighter aircraft experienced significant technical difficulties in 1998-1999 and about 400 such aircraft were grounded by the USAF for safety reasons. It should be fully expected that the F-16s deployed to Italy may develop considerable technical problems during intensive operations against Yugoslavia. This problem will be also augmented by the acute shortage of qualified technical personnel already experienced even before the war. More information here.
April 4 On 04-04-99 a "USAF 31st FW F-16C made emergency diversion to Sarajevo Airport Bosnia-Herzegovina." (source: Air Forces Monthly, June 1999, p. 92)
April 7 On 04-07-99 one Belgian F-16B two-seat fighter/bomber aircraft (possibly of Belgian 349 Squadron assigned to NATO) was shot down near Novi Sad. Two pilots ejected and were captured: a 42-year-old male pilot and a 28-year-old female co-pilot. The aircraft was shot down by Aleksandar Sunjka using a 20mm anti-aircraft gun. For more info about Belgian F-16s click here.
May 2 According to a statement made by NATO spokesman Jamie Shea on 05-02-99, one American F-16 fighter aircraft made an emergency landing at Sarajevo airport. He did not specify the exact date of the incident. So far, it has only been known that two damaged NATO aircraft landed at Sarajevo: the USAF F-15 on March 25th and a British Harrier on April 19th.
April 19 On 04-19-99 a Danish AF F-16 "made emergency diversion to Sarajevo Airport, Bosnia-Herzegovina, due to a serious engine problem in the early hours of the morning while flying a combat air patrol mission to protect NATO SFOR troops in Bosnia." (source: Air Forces Monthly, June 1999, p. 93)
May 2 A USAF F-16CG fighter aircraft (tail number AV555FS, serial number 88-0550) crashed 18km east of the town of Kozluk, Yugoslavia (according to official NATO report, however, 20km southeast of Sabac according to Yugoslavian reports, map) at 02:20 on 05-02-99. The pilot ejected and NATO reported that he was picked up by NATO rescue forces. Photo from The Times of London here. US Department of Defense news report here. Associated Press report here. Yugoslav sources reported that four NATO rescue helicopters were in the area and exchanged fire with Serbian police. One rescue helicopter was reported down and one more heavily damaged by AAA fire. Some more info here. Take a look at this F-16 (according to USAF) when it was still in one piece. There was an obvious disagreement between the USAF and NATO reports regarding a downing of an F-16 on 05-02-99: USAF and DoD reports identified the lost aircraft as F-16CG, while NATO reports identified the aircraft as F-16CJ. Both models were used extensively during the operation Allied Force. This discrepancy may indicate that that more than one F-16 might have been lost on that date. Adding further confusion, USAF and DoD reports showed that the aircraft crashed near the town of Metic, while official NATO statements place the crash site 18km east of the town of Kozluk, which is some distance away from Metic. Serbian military found and photographed the remains of the F-16CG, tail number AV555FS, near the village of Nakucani, which is quite some distance away from Metic. A report by Associated Press, insists that the aircraft shot down on 05-02-99 was an F-16CJ. The report describes the details of awards given out to several US pilots in connection with the operation Allied Force. Here is an interesting quote from this report: "One of the other Silver Star recipients also was involved in the rescue of a downed U.S. pilot, though in much different circumstances. Kavlick, 32, from Festus, Mo., was flying lead in a group of F-16CJs on a mission to destroy Serb SA-3 and SA-6 surface-to-air missile batteries near the city of Novi Sad on May 2 when his wingman was struck by an SA-3 missile, causing engine failure and forcing the pilot to eject." As you can see, again there is a discrepancy in the type of aircraft shot down. At least now we know that the F-16, whatever model, was brought down by an SA-3 missile and not a technical malfunction as was originally stated by NATO officials.
May 20 An F-16 jet fighter crashed in the village of Gradiste, Croatia 17km southwest of Vinkovci on 05-20-99 at 03:35 local time (map). The incident was observed by a number of local residents, who were woken up by a loud explosion and observed a fireball in the sky and a parachute. The crash site is heavily patrolled by police and several small clashes took place between the police and curious villagers.
May 28 An American F-16 fighter/bomber was shot down over Kosovo on 05-28-99. The aircraft crashed in central Macedonia at 13:45 local time. The pilot of the aircraft was rushed by a rescue helicopter to a hospital in Skopje. The pilot had serious injuries to his head and extremities. Two more wounded American pilots are recovering in the Skopje hospital. An amateur photographer managed to get a shot of the crash site before the remains of the F-16 were retrieved by NATO troops. This incident was reported by Macedonian "Evening News" newspaper. ITAR-TASS report here (in Russian).
July 30, 2000 According to a USAF source, an F-16 fighter was ditched in the Adriatic during the operation "Allied Force." The pilot was rescued. No further information is available. Please e-mail me if you know something about this incident.
http://www.aeronautics.ru/natodown.htm
photos:
http://www.aeronautics.ru/img001/index.htm
112th FS Pilot Killed in F-16 Crash in Iraq:
http://www.f-16.net/news_article2379.html
PD: Cuando estaba en Rusia por motivos de estudio visité un museo de la aeronautica militar rusa, ahí vi restos de diversos tipos de naves producto de la guerra en Servio kosovar donadas por Servia (claro está), por ejemplo vi la cúpula y restos del motor de un f-15, los alerones de 2 f-16 con sus respectivas matriculas y trenes de aterrizaje, el cono de nariz con un restos del motor de un Tornado, un motor integro de un a-10 y la estrella de esa muestra partes del f-117, bueno tenian restos de diferentes tipos da naves, no lo recuerdo bien, tambien de helicopteros como el apache, muchas fotografias inclusive de naves caidas servias, tambien restos de drones, uno estaba completo con insignia americana, en fin varios restos; en fin si logro viajar otra vez puedo traer al detalle de todo lo que hay, lo unico malo es que no permitian sacar fotografias, tenian detectores y todo era muy bien vigilado.
