Iran shot down an American F-15 fighter jet over the southern part of the country using a mobile air defense system. Both crew members – the pilot and the weapons systems operator – ejected. The pilot was soon rescued, while the other crew member hid from the Iranians for nearly two days until he was freed by US special operations forces.
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According to sources from the publication, Iran concentrated drone swarms in the area where the American fighters flew in. During a conversation with Pentagon representatives, the crew reported that the aircraft’s warning and defense system detected the threat only about 0.5 seconds before the Iranian missile hit the aircraft.
US military personnel concluded that unmanned aerial vehicles transmitted the fighter jet’s GPS coordinates, speed, and direction of movement to Iranian commanders, which helped Iran target the weapon at the plane, the source said.
How Trump Acted
Soon after the fighter jet crashed, US President Donald Trump announced a “pause” in combat operations. According to two military officials, the US military needed time to adapt to Iran’s new tactics.
Earlier, CNN reported that the pilot of the American F-15 fighter jet rescued by special forces said he saw many Iranian drones hanging in the air, moving as one unit resembling the shape of a jellyfish.
CNN notes: if the pilot really saw what he described – a synchronously moving formation – it would be a “disturbing breakthrough in Iranian drone technology.”
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Another source emphasized that the pilot described the scene he saw as a “minefield of drones” in the air.
Downed US F-15 Fighter Jet: What is Known
15min reminds that on April 3, 2026, Iranian forces shot down an American F-15 fighter jet with a two-person crew for the first time. The pilot managed to eject; he was rescued with the help of two military helicopters. However, the other crew member was considered missing.
Later, US President D. Trump confirmed that US special forces rescued the second crew member of the F-15 fighter jet shot down over Iran. According to the “Axios” portal, this crew member was injured after ejecting but was able to move and hid in the mountains for more than a day, thus avoiding captivity.
D. Trump noted that the US military, while rescuing the pilot, carried out “one of the boldest search and rescue operations in US history.”
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