Are Ukraine's F-16s Carrying Special Sensor Pods?
We may have observed a drone-detecting Sniper pod on a Ukrainian F-16.
On Thursday, Telegram channel Avia OFN posted a grainy photo of one of the Ukrainian air force’s roughly 50 ex-European Lockheed Martin F-16 fighters (out of around 90 pledged) flying with a heavy load of fuel and weapons—and, it seems, an under-nose AN/AAQ-33 Sniper targeting pod.
If confirmed, Sniper pods would significantly boost Ukraine’s ability to intercept the thousands of Shaheds Russia launches monthly—using infrared detection that works even when drones fly too low for radar.
The Sniper pod includes high-fidelity daytime and infrared cameras, adding to the standard sensors on an American-designed F-16, including the fighter’s nose-mounted APG-66(V)2A radar, various radar-detecting electronic countermeasures and the pilot’s eyes.
The $2-million Sniper or a similar pod is standard equipment on most F-16s, but Ukraine has never acknowledged receiving such pods, either as donations from an ally or via a direct purchase.
To be clear, Avia OFN’s photo is not hard proof that Ukrainian F-16s have Snipers. It’s too grainy and dark—and shot from a weird angle—to clearly show the Sniper’s distinctive tubular shape.
It would make sense for Ukraine to acquire Sniper pods, however. They can help the fighters find and shoot down the Shahed drones that Russia launches at Ukrainian cities and power plants at a rate of thousands per month.
Read the rest at Euromaidan Press.
Fasinating analysis of the Sniper pod deployment on Ukrainian F-16s. The infrared detection capabilty you highlight fundamentally shifts the intercept equation against low-flying Shaheds that exploit radar blind spots. What makes this particularly clever is how it leverages existing Western integration infrastructure rather than requiring bespoke solutions, which accelerates operationl readiness. The tactical implication of round-the-clock drone hunting with IR sensors could force Russia to rethink attack timing and altitude profiles entirely.