On April 3, a U.S. F‑15E Strike Eagle was shot down in Iran, killing its pilot and weapons system officer. The Department of War said the crew was recovered in under 48 hours during Operation Epic Fury. A first wave of 21 aircraft—including A‑10 Thunderbolt attack planes, KC‑130 search‑and‑rescue tankers and HH‑60W “Jolly Green” helicopters—located the downed pilot and extracted him without casualties. A second wave of 155 aircraft then used decoy sites to mislead Iranian forces. President Donald J. Trump called the mission risky because of the large number of U.S. personnel involved, while Air Force General Dan Caine praised the joint force’s “tenacity, creativity, courage and grit.”
© U.S. Government.
Summary adapted from https://war.gov
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