[Goose]

Wow

"U.S. fighter jet pilot whose plane crashed in Kuwait was transported to safety by local residents, who placed him in the trunk of a car"

https://x.com/vvanwilgenburg/status/2028...01630?s=20

F15 shot down over Kuwait, presumed friendly fire.

https://x.com/anadoluagency/status/20283...68759?s=20

Gotta say, it's a different feeling seeing an F15 spinning down like that as compared to a Sukhoi.

Yep.

I think most USAF F15s have two crew. Glad at least one of them seems alright.

F-15Es do, and are primarily air to ground platforms. All other versions of the F-15 are single-seat. What these platforms were doing is a bit of a mystery to me. Perhaps they were engaged in some kind of anti-drone activity because there were no single-seat F-15s available and/or they were using the WSO to acquire targets visually. If the latter, Yikes! AFAIK Iran still has enough air defense capability that it is unlikely F-15Es are being allowed to operate there in daylight, and the plane pictured doesn't seem to be carrying a heavy load of external stores. Could have been on the way home though. That would make it look more like an aircraft coming from Iran to attack.
 
As I said above, IFF in the Gulf state area can be a problem. It would be interesting to hear the radio calls before the incident. It would also be interesting to know what hit the F-15s. The missile was obviously big enough to take it down, but not big enough to cause a "unplanned disassembly". Perhaps a MANPADS?????

UPDATE: The US has announced they have local air superiority in some areas of Iran. These F-15EXs were on their way back to the US air base in Kuwait. They were hit about 6 miles out. They were undoubtedly not expecting opposition and were  "low and slow". The back story here will be fascinating I'm sure, if it is ever told.

[Goose]

Wow

"U.S. fighter jet pilot whose plane crashed in Kuwait was transported to safety by local residents, who placed him in the trunk of a car"

https://x.com/vvanwilgenburg/status/2028...01630?s=20

F15 shot down over Kuwait, presumed friendly fire.

https://x.com/anadoluagency/status/20283...68759?s=20

Gotta say, it's a different feeling seeing an F15 spinning down like that as compared to a Sukhoi.

Yep.

I think most USAF F15s have two crew. Glad at least one of them seems alright.

F-15Es do, and are primarily air to ground platforms. All other versions of the F-15 are single-seat. What these platforms were doing is a bit of a mystery to me. Perhaps they were engaged in some kind of anti-drone activity because there were no single-seat F-15s available and/or they were using the WSO to acquire targets visually. If the latter, Yikes! AFAIK Iran still has enough air defense capability that it is unlikely F-15Es are being allowed to operate there in daylight, and the plane pictured doesn't seem to be carrying a heavy load of external stores. Could have been on the way home though. That would make it look more like an aircraft coming from Iran to attack.
 
As I said above, IFF in the Gulf state area can be a problem. It would be interesting to hear the radio calls before the incident. It would also be interesting to know what hit the F-15s. The missile was obviously big enough to take it down, but not big enough to cause a "unplanned disassembly". Perhaps a MANPADS?????

UPDATE: The US has announced they have local air superiority in some areas of Iran. These F-15EXs were on their way back to the US air base in Kuwait. They were hit about 6 miles out. They were undoubtedly not expecting opposition and were  "low and slow". The back story here will be fascinating I'm sure, if it is ever told.