“Epic Survival”: U.S. F-15E Fighter Pilot Shot Down Twice in Five Weeks During Iran War: US Media

Key points

• In a story that seems straight from an action thriller film, a US Air Force (USAF) F-15E fighter pilot was reportedly shot down twice in less than five weeks while flying combat missions during the Iran War.
• During the opening days of Operation Epic Fury, on March 1, 2026, three F-15E Strike Eagles were shot down in Kuwaiti airspace in a suspected case of friendly fire by Kuwaiti air defenses—most likely an F/A-18C/D Hornet.
• “At 11:03 p.m. ET, March 1, three U.S. F-15E Strike Eagles flying in support of Operation Epic Fury went down over Kuwait due to an apparent friendly fire incident.
• During active combat—that included attacks from Iranian aircraft, ballistic missiles, and drones — the U.S. Air Force fighter jets were mistakenly shot down by Kuwaiti air defenses,” the US Central Command (CENTCOM) announced in a statement at the time.
• All six aircrew, including three fighter pilots and...