A single pilot. A $30,000 bomb. A $1.25 billion disaster for the Kremlin.  In one of the most daring sorties of the year, a Ukrainian Su-27 flew just 120 feet off the deck, weaving through river valleys at 520 mph to strike a critical node on the Belgorod dam.

Russia threw everything at it—Buk missile batteries, Su-35 interceptors, and A-50U radar planes—spending millions in interceptors that detonated against thin air.

Despite intense GPS jamming, the Su-27’s anti-spoofing tech held firm, delivering a precision JDAM-ER strike that has sent ripples through Russia’s regional power grid and supply lines.  This isn’t just a strike; it’s a masterclass in terrain masking and tactical innovation. Is the era of expensive air defense officially over?