The US military suffered its first significant loss of an American-made fighter jet in over 20 years when two US jets were shot down by Iranian fire, marking a rare and unexpected escalation in the conflict between the US and Iran. The attack on Friday came just five weeks after the start of the US-Israeli airstrikes against Iran.
According to US officials, one service member was rescued from the first jet that crashed, while an investigation is ongoing to find the second person. Iranian state media reported a second American A-10 attack aircraft crashing after being hit by Iranian defense forces.
The last time a US warplane was shot down in combat was during the 2003 invasion of Iraq when an A-10 Thunderbolt II was struck by an Iraqi surface-to-air missile. However, retired Air Force Brig. Gen. Houston Cantwell notes that the absence of more fighter jet losses in Iran is due to the capabilities of US forces.
The fact that a US fighter jet was brought down just days after President Donald Trump said Iran’s ability to launch missiles and drones had been “dramatically curtailed” has raised eyebrows among military analysts. Experts believe that shoulder-fired missiles, which are harder to detect and more lethal than traditional surface-to-air missiles, were likely used in the attack.
The US air war against Iran has been seen as a success so far, with American planes flying over 13,000 missions while striking over 12,300 targets. However, concerns about Iran’s ability to retaliate remain, despite its supposedly weakened military capabilities.
Pilots who fly combat missions are trained on what to do if their plane is hit, including checking for wounds after a violent ejection and communicating their location to rescuers. Despite these preparations, the incident highlights the risks of flying in high-threat environments like Iran.
The downing of US jets marks a significant escalation in the conflict between the US and Iran, which has been marked by retaliatory strikes against Israel and Gulf Arab neighbors.
Source: https://apnews.com/article/iran-war-fighter-jet-shot-down-trump-3a8b2d5b2cdaceb13bbb62c3f6526e71