Iran Displayed Wreckage of F-15 Fighter Jet, Despite Claiming to Have Shot Down US F-35

Iran claimed to have shot down a US Air Force fighter jet over its territory and displayed the wreckage.

Iranian media released a video showing parts of a military aircraft on the ground.

Initially, the Iranians claimed that it was a downed fifth-generation F-35 Lightning II, but a closer examination of the wreckage points to a different aircraft model.

Visible parts of the airframe, including sections of the fuselage and external mounting points, match the configuration of the F-15E Strike Eagle fighter, noted Defence Blog.

The publication added that the aircraft belonged to the 494th Fighter Squadron of the US Air Force.

This squadron is part of the 48th Fighter Wing and is based at RAF Lakenheath in the United Kingdom.

If reports of the downing of an F-15E fighter jet are confirmed, this will be the first known combat loss of a US Air Force manned aircraft over Iranian territory since the war began in late February. In March, a US F-35 fighter jet made an emergency landing at a US airbase in the Middle East after sustaining damage from Iranian fire.

According to a spokesperson for US Central Command, the fifth-generation fighter jet was conducting a combat mission over Iranian territory. Due to the damage sustained, the pilot aborted the mission and landed.

As a reminder, on March 2, three American F-15 fighter jets were shot down over Kuwait as a result of ‘friendly fire.’ All six crew members ejected and were successfully evacuated.