Ukraine’s MiG-29 Gets Up Close and Personal With a Shahed—and Uses the Cannon

A Ukrainian MiG-29 pilot closed to extremely short range with a Russian Shahed and destroyed it with bursts from the fighter’s 30mm cannon, pulling off an interception he described as a “9 out of 10” in difficulty.

Ukraine’s Air Command West released footage of the engagement on November 6, showing the pilot, known by the call sign Denfix, using the MiG-29’s onboard GSh-30-1 cannon instead of an air-to-air missile.

“MiG-29 fighter pilot Denfix destroys a Shahed in close aerial combat with several accurate shots from the aircraft’s GSh-30-1 cannon,” Air Command West said.

Using cannon fire against a Shahed is one of the least expensive ways for a fighter to destroy the drone, but Ukrainian aviation officials stressed that it is also one of the most difficult and dangerous.

To make the shot, the fighter has to approach the relatively small target at extremely close range, leaving the pilot only seconds to maneuver, line up the aircraft, and fire accurately.

“Difficulty is 9 out of 10 for me. Extremely short distance to the target. Extremely little time for maneuvers and the attack. It is extremely difficult to fire with surgical precision. But if there is an opportunity to hit the target without using air-to-air missiles, we use it,” Denfix said.

The method allows Ukraine to preserve expensive guided missiles for targets that cannot be safely engaged with a cannon.

The MiG-29’s GSh-30-1 is a single-barrel 30mm aircraft cannon designed for close-range aerial combat and attacks on ground targets. Against relatively slow Shahed-type drones, it offers a much cheaper interception option than firing a guided air-to-air missile—but requires the pilot to close dangerously near the target and execute the attack with exceptional precision.

Previously, a Ukrainian Mirage 2000-5F scored a first, shooting down a Russian S8000 Banderol cruise missile not with an air-to-air missile, but with bursts from its built-in 30mm cannons.

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