The Ukrainian F-16 pilot performed an incredible feat in the fight against Russian missiles. He surprised even the Americans

On Friday, December 13, Russia used 93 rockets and missiles and almost 200 drones for one of the biggest attacks on Ukrainian energy so far. There was an air alert throughout the country because of it.

“The occupiers carried out a massive air attack, during which almost 200 enemy drones, Kinžal/Iskander-type ballistic missiles and 94 air, sea and land-based guided missiles moved in Ukrainian airspace,” Ukrainian Air Force spokesman Yuriy Ihnat recalled on his networks.

The main targets of the Ukrainian fighter were precisely guided missiles, which are very difficult to destroy. The Ukrainian pilot managed to eliminate six enemy guided missiles during one combat mission, using all four anti-aircraft missiles on board and also the aircraft’s cannon.

“The hero was greeted at the airport with applause and cheers by both fellow pilots and technicians preparing the plane for departure. Even the air force management at the checkpoints did not hide their emotions. The Americans across the ocean were also pleasantly surprised when they learned how their wards work,” said Ihnat in his extensive Facebook post, where he also published an interview with the pilot.

The pilot described how the navigator guided him to enemy targets, a group of eight guided missiles were on course. “I approach to the appropriate distance, I see obstacles – this means that the missiles have so-called individual electronic protection. The F-16 sights are relatively powerful, and if the target is already in the sight, it will not escape the on-board radar even with electronic protection. I flew to a suitable distance, re-aimed at the targets, alternately fired rockets and… hit – both targets were destroyed,” says the pilot.

Under the wings, the F-16 had only four air-to-air missiles of medium and short range. Long-range missiles were the first to arrive, then the pilot had to approach to a distance of about two kilometers in order to use short-range missiles.

“I flew to the second pair, took over the rockets, saw that they were also ‘echoing Russian EW’, but it didn’t help them much. The first shot hit the target and the second too! My joy knew no bounds, because I saw all the hits of enemy rockets with my own eyes,” continued the pilot.

He still had some fuel left in the outboard tanks, so he wanted to continue the fight. “The navigator gave me the order to go to the service area and let the brother in arms on the Su-27 work on the targets,” he said, adding that he then moved to the designated area.

However, another enemy target got on its course, which was apparently headed for the capital. “Why not?” thought the pilot and announced on the ground that he was ready to continue working. But his F-16 was already equipped with only one weapon – a rapid-fire aerial cannon.

“I first had to find it in the sky, align it and fire it at a maximum distance of 500 meters. Flying closer is extremely dangerous – if a 450 kg warhead explodes, there is a high risk that the plane will at least fly into a cloud of debris,” he explained.

But he said he knew how to behave, because he had recently been retrained on the F-16 in the USA. There, however, the pilots learned to shoot down aerial targets with air weapons exclusively on simulators. In real flight, Ukrainian F-16 pilots never used the anti-missile cannon.

“First I looked for the target below me – nothing. Then I gained height, raised the radar and saw him. I did everything as the instructors in the USA taught me, as I trained on the simulator. A few shots from the cannon – and an explosion… and then another! It turned out that there were two rockets. They flew in a ‘stack’, next to each other. The enemy often launches them in such a tactical configuration, a whole group of enemy missiles can fly close to each other, so they are perceived as one target,” said the pilot, adding: “Well, actually, I probably set a record that day. However, the main thing is the result. I am glad that I succeeded, and I dedicate this success to all my brothers who have gone to the eternal hunting grounds.”

Ihnat confirmed the pilot’s record: “According to the results of the objective control, we have one hundred percent confirmed the fact that for the first time in history, an American F-16 fighter jet shot down six guided missiles in anti-aircraft combat, two of which were from an aircraft weapon. And the Ukrainians succeeded!”

He added that Ukraine continues to desire more powerful fighters with more powerful radars and long-range missiles, because it is quite difficult to compete in air battles with Russian technological aircraft.

“Young Ukrainian pilots prove every day that they are the best, whether in the cockpit of Soviet or American fighters. “Just imagine what a formidable deterrent force the war-hardened Ukrainian pilots will form in the center of Europe until, for example, F-35 aircraft enter service in the air force,” noted Ihnat.