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US military extracts missing F-15 pilot from southern Iran
President Donald Trump announced on Sunday that American forces successfully retrieved the second crew member of an F-15 fighter jet shot down over Iranian territory two days earlier. The airman, identified as a colonel, was described as "safe and sound" after what Trump called one of the most audacious search-and-rescue missions in U.S. history.
Timeline of the downing and rescue
On Friday, Iranian air-defense units intercepted and destroyed the U.S. F-15E Strike Eagle in southern Iran. Both crew members ejected; the first was recovered shortly afterward. The second remained missing until Sunday's operation.
Trump stated that the missing pilot had been tracked continuously by senior U.S. officials while evading capture in rugged mountain terrain where Iranian forces were closing in.
Combat search and rescue details
A source familiar with the mission characterized it as a large-scale combat search and rescue (CSAR) effort inside Iran. The operation reportedly involved dozens of U.S. aircraft and included exchanges of fire with Iranian units. The pilot may have sustained injuries during ejection.
Iranian state media later reported that Revolutionary Guard troops shot down a U.S. reconnaissance drone during the search. The drone crashed in Isfahan province, according to the semi-official Fars news agency.
Helicopter engagement
Video verified by BBC Verify shows armed individuals firing at two U.S. Black Hawk helicopters participating in the rescue. Iran's joint military command claimed nomadic tribesmen in Kohgiluyeh and Boyer-Ahmad province targeted the helicopters with small-arms fire. One helicopter was struck but landed safely, though crew members were injured.
Survival training and terrain
Downed aircrew undergo rigorous survival training to evade capture, move quickly from the crash site, and conceal themselves. They are also trained to endure extended periods without food or water and to utilize local resources.
"Their number-one priority is to stay alive and avoid capture. They move away from the ejection site as fast as possible and hide."
Jennifer Kavanagh, Director of Military Analysis, Defense Priorities
Regions and aircraft involved
The F-15E went down in either Kohgiluyeh and Boyer-Ahmad or Khuzestan province, both in southwestern Iran. Kohgiluyeh and Boyer-Ahmad is a mountainous region inhabited by nomadic tribes who carry firearms for protection. Khuzestan is an industrial hub with a diverse population of over 4.7 million.
The F-15E Strike Eagle is a dual-role aircraft capable of air-to-air combat and precision ground strikes. It carries a pilot and a weapons systems officer who manages targeting and weapon programming.
Iranian claims and U.S. response
Iran's Revolutionary Guard credited new air-defense systems with downing both the F-15E and an earlier A-10 Warthog that was hit over the Gulf. Tehran had initially offered a reward for information leading to the missing American's safe recovery.
Trump asserted that no U.S. personnel were killed or wounded during the rescue, although reports indicate injuries among helicopter crew members.
