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F-15E jet shot down over Iran

theguardian.com

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Re: F-15E jet shot down over Iran

#221

Post by thinkcontext »

roadbuster wrote: post #116

During the entire gulf war (Iraq, 1990-91), only two F-15s were shot down via surface-to-air engagement. At the time, Baghdad was known to have the highest density of SAM protection out of any city in the world. An F-15 being shot down in Iran after weeks of strategic bombing of their anti-air defense systems is not a good sign.

> An F-15 being shot down in Iran after weeks of strategic bombing of their anti-air defense systems is not a good sign.

Why? We don't know exactly what happened but its easy to imagine that Iran held some anti-air systems in reserve for this phase of the war. They aren't trying to defend a target, their goal was likely to stay hidden and wait for an opportunity. They could keep the radar off and use a passive sensor network to notify them when it was in range, then turn the radar on to get a lock for the shot. Or even just IR. Recall, the Houthis gave stealth F35s some near misses over Yemen, no doubt supplied and trained by the Iranians.

https://www.twz.com/air/how-the-houthis-rickety-air-defenses...

Re: F-15E jet shot down over Iran

#222

Post by estearum »

jmyeet wrote: post #214
estearum wrote: post #171

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Seems to me their strategy is to shut down the Strait as cheaply as possible, force ground operations on known strategic points of interest, then just missile and drone strike Americans in Iranian territory where they have ~no air defense.

There are 4 players in this war and they all have very different goals and "victory" conditions. 1. Israel wants to ruin Iran permanently, to turn it into Somalia 2.0, meaning a quasi-state with no organized, central government. Were they to succeed in this it would be a humantarian disaster the likes of which we haven't seen since probably WW2. Tens of millions of refugees that will probably collapse surrounding cou…

Yep, all sounds right to me

Re: F-15E jet shot down over Iran

#223

Post by standardUser »

karp773 wrote: post #57
karp773 wrote: post #46

Why didn't Iran use its capability to take down enemy jets for an entire month?

Downvoters, care to explain? Seriously, it's been sitting on this for entire month and now, all of a sudden, rolled out antiaircraft defense? What's going on?

We don't know what downed it yet, so it's hard to say. Iran is hiding and rationing their offensive munitions, we know that, so it's not surprising when the number of drone and missile attacks spikes after weeks of bombing. That's part of the plan. But the ability to take down a US fighter jet is not something they are rationing- it's likely at the edge of their capabilities and they got lucky. If they could be knocking down more, they would be.

Re: F-15E jet shot down over Iran

#224

Post by elictronic »

gpderetta wrote: post #206
fooey wrote: post #180

Earlier quoted context omitted.

New reporting that an A-10 ~was also shot down~ has also gone down (unconfirmed if it was shot down) https://www.nytimes.com/live/2026/04/03/world/iran-war-trump... > A second Air Force combat plane crashed in the Persian Gulf region on Friday, and the lone pilot was safely rescued, according to two U.S. officials who spoke on condition of anonymity to discuss operational matters. The A-10 Warthog attack plane went d…

What are A-10s doing there? There isn't yet any ground operation, right?

To my understanding blowing up drone boats designed to destroy shipping.

Re: F-15E jet shot down over Iran

#225

Post by christkv »

flowerthoughts wrote: post #128
roadbuster wrote: post #116

During the entire gulf war (Iraq, 1990-91), only two F-15s were shot down via surface-to-air engagement. At the time, Baghdad was known to have the highest density of SAM protection out of any city in the world. An F-15 being shot down in Iran after weeks of strategic bombing of their anti-air defense systems is not a good sign.

Surely SAMs have improved since 1991? Have the F-15s improved significantly? (I know nothing about military stuff.)

A lot of the planes are doing attack runs at altitudes where they are susceptible to man pads I imagine.

Re: F-15E jet shot down over Iran

#226

Post by nutjob2 »

gherkinnn wrote: post #175
asdff wrote: post #147

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Turns out Iran is good at hiding stuff in caves and driving it out on a truck platform. Who would have known?

Next you're going to tell me that operating out of your own mountainous terrain has an advantage.

Possibly true, but at least they don't have the ability to control some critical waterway or something to hold everyone at ransom.

Re: F-15E jet shot down over Iran

#227

Post by thinkcontext »

gpderetta wrote: post #206
fooey wrote: post #180

Earlier quoted context omitted.

New reporting that an A-10 ~was also shot down~ has also gone down (unconfirmed if it was shot down) https://www.nytimes.com/live/2026/04/03/world/iran-war-trump... > A second Air Force combat plane crashed in the Persian Gulf region on Friday, and the lone pilot was safely rescued, according to two U.S. officials who spoke on condition of anonymity to discuss operational matters. The A-10 Warthog attack plane went d…

What are A-10s doing there? There isn't yet any ground operation, right?

They were largely being used for maritime patrol against fast boats. I saw a newsblurb a couple days ago that more were being sent to the region.

Re: F-15E jet shot down over Iran

#228

Post by Lerc »

MarkMarine wrote: post #58
lokar wrote: post #29

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Do they train for a “no quarter“ conflict where injured or surrendered combatants are killed?

No, we actually train to be tortured and held if caught, but everyone knows the risks before you take off. Captured marines or soldiers have been killed in Iraq and Afghanistan, we’re clear eyed about it.

Interesting, I had interpreted their comment to be asking if they were trained to carry out a no-quarter order.

Re: F-15E jet shot down over Iran

#229

Post by elictronic »

stackghost wrote: post #217
gpderetta wrote: post #206

Earlier quoted context omitted.

What are A-10s doing there? There isn't yet any ground operation, right?

The A-10 carries AGM 88 anti-radiation missiles, and while it's a slow aircraft it can still passably perform SEAD with the AGM 88.

Manpads (man portable air defense) works just fine.

Re: F-15E jet shot down over Iran

#230

Post by pram »

cactusfrog wrote: post #196
pram wrote: post #160

Earlier quoted context omitted.

TBH I went through SERE school (aircrew) and I questioned its value, since the training is in eastern Washington/northern Idaho area mountainous woodland environment and all the evasion they showed us relied on that kind of cover and "bushcraft" And you know, Iraq, Afghanistan, and Iran are definitely not eastern Washington lol

Eastern Washington has a lot of hot desert

Washington indeed has a giant desert but it's in the middle fwiw, the SERE school is in Spokane
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