Search Underway for Missing Crew Member After US F-15E Shot Down Over Iran
A search operation is ongoing for a missing crew member following the downing of a US F-15E fighter jet over southern Iran on Friday, according to US media reports.
One pilot aboard the aircraft was rescued by US forces, while the second crew member, a weapons systems officer, remains unaccounted for, reports indicate.
In a related incident, a US A-10 Warthog aircraft participating in the search and rescue mission was reportedly shot and damaged, though its pilot was safely recovered.
Iranian officials stated that their air defence system was responsible for shooting down the warplane, as reported by state media. The US Central Command has not yet issued a statement on the matter.
Where and When Was the Jet Shot Down?
Iranian state media initially reported on Friday that Iranian forces had downed a US jet over the southern region of the country.
White House Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt confirmed that US President Donald Trump had been briefed on the incident.
US Central Command has not verified the details surrounding the reported aircraft downing.
The search and rescue mission successfully recovered the pilot of the jet, but the status of the second crew member, the weapons systems officer, remains unknown, according to CBS News, the BBC's US partner.
The rescue operation included an A-10 Warthog aircraft that was hit over the Persian Gulf, with its pilot ejecting and subsequently rescued.
Additionally, a helicopter transporting the rescued F-15E pilot came under small arms fire, resulting in injuries to crew members onboard; however, it landed safely, CBS reports.
Iran's Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) claimed that nomadic tribes residing in the mountainous regions of Iran fired upon two Black Hawk helicopters involved in the US rescue mission.
The BBC has sought comment from the US military regarding Iran's assertions.
BBC Verify has authenticated a video from Friday showing what appears to be three armed individuals firing at least two Black Hawk helicopters.
Iran's top joint military command credited new Iranian air defence systems with the downing of both US warplanes, according to the state-affiliated IRNA news agency.
The precise location where the jet was downed remains unconfirmed, with Iranian state media citing two possible provinces: Kohgiluyeh and Boyer-Ahmad, and Khuzestan.
Kohgiluyeh and Boyer-Ahmad, a mountainous province in southwestern Iran, has a population exceeding 700,000, including nomadic groups.
These nomads are traditionally recognized as tribal peoples of Iran and are known to carry rifles, often inherited through generations, to protect their herds and camps from wildlife and theft in remote highlands.
Khuzestan province is a vital economic center for Iran, notable for its oil industry and other sectors. It has a population of over 4.7 million, comprising Arabs, Persians, Lors, and other ethnic groups.
What Do We Know About the Jet's Purpose?
The F-15E is a dual-role fighter jet designed for both air-to-ground and air-to-air missions. In the context of Iran, it is likely employed in Defensive Counter Air roles to intercept Iranian drones and cruise missiles.
In its air-to-ground capacity, the jet serves as a weapons platform capable of deploying laser-guided and GPS-guided precision munitions, among other ordnance.
The aircraft operates with a two-person crew: a pilot who flies the jet and a weapons systems officer seated behind. The weapons officer, colloquially known as a "Wizzo," manages four screens and is responsible for target selection and weapons programming for attacks.
This dual-crew configuration facilitates workload division, particularly in complex air environments where the pilot must evade threats.
The specific cause of the jet's downing remains unknown; however, if Iranian forces were responsible, a surface-to-air missile (SAM) is the most probable cause.
What Is Happening With the Rescue Effort?
Rescuing crew members from a downed jet is among the most complex and urgent operations, known as combat search and rescue (CSAR) missions, conducted by the US military and its allies.
CSAR missions are executed by elite air force units comprising highly trained and specialized personnel.
"It's the most dangerous military mission that I know of," James Jeffrey, a military strategist and former top US diplomat for the Middle East, told the BBC.
"These are Air Force special operations people who are trained almost to the level of Delta Force and Navy SEAL Team Six, but they also have medical capabilities," Jeffrey added. "They will not give up until they can find a pilot if they think there's any chance."
CSAR missions typically involve helicopters flying low over hostile territory, supported by other military aircraft conducting strikes and area patrols.
A former commander of a pararescue jumpers squadron told CBS News that a rescue operation like the one reported in Iran would involve at least 24 pararescue jumpers searching the area in Black Hawk helicopters.
The team would be prepared to parachute from planes if necessary, with their primary objective upon landing being to establish contact with the missing crew member.
The downed jet's crew members are highly trained for such scenarios.
"Their number one priority is to stay alive and to avoid capture," Jennifer Kavanagh, senior fellow and director of military analysis at think tank Defense Priorities, told the BBC.
"And so they're trained to - assuming that they're physically capable, and not so injured that they can't move - to try to get away from the ejection site as quickly as possible, and to conceal themselves so that they are safe."
They are also trained in survival techniques to endure without food or water or to source resources from the local environment for extended periods, Kavanagh said.
Iran has announced rewards of approximately £50,000 ($66,100) for citizens who assist in capturing the missing airman, according to state media.
Sina Azodi, assistant professor of Middle East Politics at the Elliott School of International Affairs at George Washington University, suggested the reward may motivate some to seek the US crew member.
"When you bomb people who are angry and have just lost their families, they have every reason to attack you or try to capture you, and the money is an additional incentive," Azodi told the BBC.
"It's clear now that it's a war against the country; it's no longer an attack against the Islamic Republic."
