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US Air Force pilot rescued after F-15E shot down over Iran
A US Air Force F-15E Strike Eagle was shot down by an Iranian shoulder-fired missile in a mountainous region south of Isfahan in early April. The two-person crew, known by the call signs Alpha and Bravo, successfully ejected but were separated, landing approximately five miles apart.
Pilot Alpha was rescued within six hours of the crash during an operation described by US Secretary of Defense Pete Hegseth as involving intense fighting. The weapons systems officer, call sign Bravo, survived a dangerous free-fall after a missile strike damaged his parachute. Despite suffering multiple fractures to his back, arm, and shoulder, Bravo evaded Iranian forces for approximately 48 to 50 hours.
Bravo was eventually recovered by US special operations forces in a high-risk mission involving 21 aircraft. The rescue operation was characterized by significant combat, with officials noting the difficulty of operating behind enemy lines in daylight.
Entities
Bravo · Dan Caine · Iran · Isfahan · Pete Hegseth · US Air Force · United States Air Force
Claims
What the coverage asserts, and how many sources carry each claim.
- [○ 1 SOURCE] A rescue operation involving 21 aircraft was conducted to recover the airmen. wtxnews.com
- [● 4 SOURCES] The weapons systems officer, call sign Bravo, survived a fall to the ground after his parachute was damaged by a missile strike. www.ntd.com · www.businessinsider.com · adevarul.ro · fr.news.yahoo.com
- [● 4 SOURCES] The crew members, call signs Alpha and Bravo, ejected from the aircraft and landed approximately five miles apart. wtxnews.com · www.ntd.com · www.businessinsider.com · wiadomosci.wp.pl
- [● 2 SOURCES] The pilot Alpha was rescued within six hours of the crash. wtxnews.com · wiadomosci.wp.pl
- [● 3 SOURCES] Bravo suffered a broken back, broken arm, broken shoulder, and a sprained ankle during the incident. www.ntd.com · adevarul.ro · fr.news.yahoo.com
- [● 5 SOURCES] Bravo evaded Iranian forces for approximately 48 to 50 hours before being rescued. wtxnews.com · www.ntd.com · wiadomosci.wp.pl · adevarul.ro · www.businessinsider.com
- [● 5 SOURCES] An F-15E Strike Eagle was shot down by an Iranian shoulder-fired missile on April 2 or 3. wtxnews.com · www.ntd.com · wiadomosci.wp.pl · www.businessinsider.com · fr.news.yahoo.com
- [○ 1 SOURCE] US Secretary of Defense Pete Hegseth described the rescue operation as involving intense fighting. wtxnews.com