A search and rescue effort is underway to locate the two pilots of a U.S. fighter jet after it was shot down over Iran, Axios reported Friday, citing an unnamed source familiar with the situation.
Multiple reports earlier Friday, citing Iranian media, stated that an American pilot was ejected from the aircraft, claimed to be an F-15E Strike Eagle—a highly advanced, long-range fighter that reaches speeds up to Mach 2.5. An unverified social media post purports to show one of the two ejection seats.
Iran has claimed to have shot down several U.S. aircraft since American strikes in the region began in late February. But per the Associated Press, Friday marked the first occasion that Iranian officials went on state media and encouraged citizens to hunt for the pilots.
“If you capture the enemy pilot or pilots alive and hand them over to the police, you will receive a precious prize,” said the anchor of an Iranian television channel in the vicinity of the reported incident, per the AP.
The search and rescue effort reportedly involves many aircraft. The War Zone reported unverified social media videos from Iranian sources that appear to depict UH-60 Black Hawk helicopters, a C-130 Hercules, F-35 fighters, and MQ-9 Reaper drones.
U.S. Aircraft in Iran
American forces are flying a variety of different aircraft for operations in the Middle East. This is not the first time Iran has claimed to have shot down one of them.
In March, U.S. Central Command (CENTCOM) spokesperson Captain Tim Hawkins told FLYING that the pilot of a U.S. F-35 was in “stable condition” after the fighter made an “emergency landing” at an American base in the region. Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) took credit for the attack.
Both the U.S. and Israel, which is conducting operations alongside American forces, fly F-35s, which cost north of $100 million.
U.S. CENTCOM has further deployed B-2 bombers, MQ-9 Reapers, EA-18Gs, A-10Cs, F-16s, F-18s, F-22s, and many other combat aircraft to the region around Iran. The offensive is being supported by Boeing RC-135 reconnaissance aircraft, refueling tankers, C-17 Globemaster IIIs, Lockheed C-130 military transport airplanes, P-8 Poseidon maritime patrol aircraft, and early warning and control aircraft.
Also in March, a U.S. KC-135 Stratotanker crashed in western Iraq, killing all six occupants, though CENTCOM said the incident did not involve a hostile attack. Earlier that month, CENTCOM said three Air Force F-15Es were “mistakenly shot down by Kuwaiti air defenses,” and all six crewmembers were recovered safely.
Last week, images confirmed that Iran destroyed a U.S. E-3 Sentry airborne warning and control system (AWACS), which orchestrates missions as a mobile aerial command center and surveillance platform.