When Ukraine’s first Western-supplied F-16 arrived in 2024, many expected NATO-style airpower to change the war overnight. That didn’t happen. Instead, Ukrainian pilots were forced to abandon Western doctrine and invent entirely new tactics to survive Russia’s air defenses. Flying low, acting as decoys, and constantly relocating, they’ve turned limitations into advantages. These adaptations are quietly reshaping the air war—and the most surprising tactic is still ahead.
