In this episode, we conduct a detailed Ukrainian F-16 drone shootdown video breakdown. New combat footage from February 9, 2026, shows a pilot successfully prosecuting an air-to-air gunnery attack against a Russian Geran-2 (Shahed-136) kamikaze drone.
This is the cheapest drone kill seen in the conflict to date. Instead of launching a million-dollar AIM-120 AMRAAM or an AIM-9X missile, the pilot "turned on the chainsaw," utilizing the F-16’s internal M61 Vulcan 20mm rotary cannon.
Key technical insights in this briefing
F-16 Vulcan Cannon Specs: The F-16 carries only 510 rounds, giving the pilot roughly five seconds of total trigger time (about two bursts) before the magazine is dry.
The Tactical Challenge: Hunting a small Shahed-136 drone (only 11 feet long) moving at 100 knots while flying an F-16 at 350–400 knots.
Advanced Sensor Integration: How pilots use a radar lock to cue the Sniper targeting pod, feeding a "green diamond" of symbology into the Heads-Up Display (HUD) or helmet to find a gray drone against a snow-covered Ukrainian landscape.
Low-Altitude Risks: Why these engagements are prosecuted as low as 75 to 1,000 feet AGL, placing the aircraft inside a dangerous, integrated air defense network.
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The Problem with Killing Tiny Drones at 400 Knots | F-16 Breakdown
February 10, 2026 5:34 pm