Ukrainian F-16 Pilot Destroys Russian Shahed Drone With Vulcan Cannon in Precision Strike

A Ukrainian F-16 pilot successfully destroyed a Russian Shahed strike drone using the onboard 20mm six-barrel Vulcan cannon. According to Militarnyi on September 22, citing a video published on TikTok by a user under the nickname “wonderful.my.life.”

The footage shows the black-painted Shahed moving toward its target in daylight, allowing the pilot to visually identify the drone. Instead of expending an expensive surface-to-air missile, the fighter jet employed its cannon mode—a short burst that was enough to take down the target.

The M61 Vulcan cannon uses 20×102 mm rounds and can fire up to 6,000 rounds per minute, making it one of the most effective close-range weapons on modern fighter aircraft.

The successful destruction of the Shahed highlights the flexibility of F-16 employment in modern combat. These aircraft are effective not only with missile weaponry but also in cannon mode, countering low-speed and hard-to-detect threats like the Shahed. The successful destruction of the Shahed highlights the flexibility of F-16 employment in modern combat.

According to Militarnyi, these aircraft are effective not only with missile weaponry but also in cannon mode, countering low-speed and hard-to-detect threats like the Shahed.

Earlier, Polish-supplied Osa-AKM-P1 Żądło systems enabled Ukrainian air defense crews to destroy Russian aircraft and drones at ranges surpassing the platform’s standard capabilities.

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