Middle East Battlefield: U.S. Military Aircraft Losses Continue to Rise

According to a report on CNN’s website on March 19, citing two sources familiar with the matter, a U.S. F-35 fighter jet made an emergency landing at a U.S. military base in the Middle East after being suspected of being hit by Iranian fire. The report states that U.S. Central Command spokesperson Tim Hawkins said the fifth-generation stealth fighter was forced to land urgently while “conducting a combat mission over Iran.” Hawkins said the aircraft landed safely, the pilot’s condition is stable, and the military is investigating the incident. If confirmed, this would be the first time since the outbreak of conflict in late February that Iran has hit a U.S. manned aircraft. Both the U.S. and Israel have deployed F-35 fighters in this conflict, each costing over $100 million.

Additionally, Bloomberg News reported on March 19 that since the start of hostilities with Iran, the U.S. military has lost at least 16 aircraft, including 10 MQ-9 “Reaper” drones destroyed by enemy fire, and six other aircraft damaged in attacks or accidents. The most severe losses include three U.S. F-15 fighters shot down by friendly fire in Kuwait and one KC-135 refueling aircraft crashing during a refueling operation, with all six crew members on board killed.