Are we sure they gave them the 'real' bullets? The Canadian forces are pretty cheap with their ammo. Most of the time the pilots just practice saying 'ratatatatatatat'A 2009 research paper by U.S. Air Force Major Kevin Massie found such objects don't immediately descend when hit by bullets, citing a 100-meter weather balloon that remained aloft for six days in 1998 after being shot by 1,000 rounds from Canadian F-18 fighter jets.