'Exceptional Skill': US Air Force Veteran Reveals How F-16 Pilot Shot Down Six Missiles in One Mission

• 11.01.2025, 10:43

A Ukrainian pilot took out targets in a highly risky manner.

A Ukrainian F-16 pilot who shot down six Russian missiles in one mission demonstrated exceptional skill. It was made possible during an extremely risky engagement, US Air Force veteran and former F-16 pilot John Venable told Business Insider.

Ukrainian Air Force Command confirmed that the pilot used the F-16's M61A1 six-barrel 20mm cannon during the December engagement, shooting down two of the six missiles. According to Venable, such a feat requires not only professionalism, but also a deep confidence in his actions.

“The fact that he did it, without any extra effort, speaks volumes about his skills,” the veteran said.

Ukrainian F-16s are usually armed with AIM-9 Sidewinder and AIM-120 AMRAAM missiles. However, in this mission, the pilot, having exhausted his missile reserves, decided to use the cannon to intercept another missile heading for Kyiv. He was able to hit it despite the speed of more than 400 mph, and even shot down two targets at once.

“Shooting down cruise missiles with a cannon is very risky due to the high speed of the target and the danger of detonation. But I did what my instructors in the United States taught me, and I managed to do it,” the record-breaking pilot himself commented.

Experts such as military analyst Tim Robinson explain that using a cannon to intercept cruise missiles is a complex process and requires close approach to the target, which increases the risk of damage to the aircraft by debris.