US F-15 fighter jet shot down in Iran - Media
Illustrative photo: Iran allegedly shoots down a US F-15 (Getty Images)
There are reports that Iran may have shot down a US fighter jet — an F-15 with two crew members on board — for the first time since the start of the American military campaign, this was reported by Iranian media and a source familiar with the situation, according to Axios.
What happened
Iranian media have published photos and videos allegedly showing fragments of a downed aircraft and one of its ejection seats. Based on the imagery, the aircraft in question appears to be a US F-15 fighter jet.
The exact location of the incident and the circumstances under which the aircraft may have been shot down have not yet been clarified.
Two pilots missing
According to available data, search and rescue operations are ongoing at the scene. The fate of the two crew members remains unknown.
First such case since the start of the war
If confirmed, this would mark the first instance of a US aircraft being shot down by hostile fire since the beginning of the military campaign.
US military officials and the White House have not responded to Axios requests for comment.
Background: What is known about the F-15 fighter jet
Photo: Iran claims first US aircraft shot down since the start of the conflict (Getty Images)
F-15 Eagle is an American supersonic fighter jet developed by McDonnell Douglas (now Boeing) and entered into service in 1976. It was designed as an air superiority aircraft.
It can reach speeds of up to Mach 2.5 — about 2,650 km/h. Its service ceiling is up to 20,000 meters. The base version is single-seat, while the F-15E Strike Eagle variant is a two-seat version designed for ground attack missions.
It is considered one of the most effective fighter jets in aviation history, with over 100 confirmed air-to-air kills and no losses to enemy aircraft.
The US confirmed the loss of three F-15E fighters over Kuwait during Operation Epic Fury.
According to the US Central Command, the aircraft were most likely destroyed by "friendly fire" — air defense systems operated by allied forces. All crew members survived and were taken to hospitals.
In early March, an Israeli F-35 fighter jet, for the first time in history, shot down a manned enemy aircraft — an Iranian Yak-130 combat trainer. This was reported by the Israeli military. Previously, the F-35 had never been used in air combat against manned targets.
RBC-Ukraine also reported that on March 8, the Israeli Air Force struck an airfield in Iran where US-made F-14 fighter jets were based.
These aircraft were delivered to Iran before the 1979 Islamic Revolution and remain in service with the Iranian Air Force.
