For the first time in history an F-16 fighter jet pilot shot and « destroyed six Russian cruise missiles » in a single mission last month.
The Ukrainian Air Force said that two fighter jets shot down the cruise missiles using the aircraft cannon.
The Kyiv Independent reported, the Ukrianian Air Force said on Tuesday that in the morning of 13 December 2024 the pilots intercepted the missiles during a massive Russian aerial strike which saww 94 missiles and nearly 200 drones heading for various targets in Ukraine.
The Air Force Command said, “For the first time in the history of the Fighting Falcon, an F-16 fighter jet destroyed six Russian cruise missiles in one combat mission.”
Yurii Ihnat the Aird Force spokesman said, “They say that even Americans couldn’t believe you did it.”
The unidentified pilot said he approached the missiles and shot down a pair of Russian aerial projectiles using medium range missiles, then show down two more using short range missiles.
The pilot said he did everything as taught by US instructors, “A few bursts from the cannon — and an explosion… then another one! ‘A secondary detonation,’ I thought, but, as it turned out, there were two missiles.”