Welcome to DU! The truly grassroots left-of-center political community where regular people, not algorithms, drive the discussions and set the standards. Join the community: Create a free account Support DU (and get rid of ads!): Become a Star Member Latest Breaking News Editorials & Other Articles General Discussion The DU Lounge All Forums Issue Forums Culture Forums Alliance Forums Region Forums Support Forums Help & Search

ruet

(10,318 posts)
Fri Apr 3, 2026, 09:32 AM Apr 3

U.S. Fighter Jet Shot Down in Iran, Search Underway for Crew

Source: Axios

Iran has shot down a U.S. fighter jet, per Iranian media and a source familiar with the incident, and a search and rescue effort is underway to locate two crew.

The big picture: It would be the first time since the beginning of the war that a U.S. jet was downed by enemy fire.

The U.S. military and the White House didn't immediately respond to requests for comment.
Driving the news: On Friday, Iranian state media published pictures and videos that allegedly show parts of the downed plane and one of the ejection seats.

The photos and videos suggest it is an F-15 fighter jet.

Read more: https://www.axios.com/2026/04/03/iran-us-fighter-shot-down



"Obliterated!"
23 replies = new reply since forum marked as read
Highlight: NoneDon't highlight anything 5 newestHighlight 5 most recent replies
U.S. Fighter Jet Shot Down in Iran, Search Underway for Crew (Original Post) ruet Apr 3 OP
Do they, like Hegseth, opt otchmoson Apr 3 #1
Trump likes pilots who don't get shot down BeyondGeography Apr 3 #2
Damn good time to take out a member of Joint Chiefs PuraVidaDreamin Apr 3 #3
Were US aircraft shot down in Afghanistan or during the Iraq War. cab67 Apr 3 #4
A lot were shot down during the first Gulf War Prairie Gates Apr 3 #5
The numbers are hard to compile... ruet Apr 3 #6
I'm seeing reports that the crew has been captured. ruet Apr 3 #7
There appears to have been 2 ejections * 617Blue Apr 3 #9
One thing to consider here... ruet Apr 3 #10
True it seems to have happened yesterday. There was daylight search and rescue 617Blue Apr 3 #11
For those interested. ruet Apr 3 #12
Malcolm Nance YT channel shows 2 pilot ejections and US rescue efforts C130 and 2 choppers 617Blue Apr 3 #8
If this information is accurate, the US lost an F-15 AND an AWACS niyad Apr 3 #13
Message auto-removed Name removed Apr 3 #14
Trump has put the world in a dangerous place without good cause. Iran's nukes were "totally obliterated!" back in June, Exp Apr 3 #20
I'm hoping that they do not Dan Apr 3 #15
Just a historical reminder Bluetus Apr 3 #16
One difference - cab67 Apr 3 #21
Agreed. It would be an amazing amount of restraint not to treat today's hostages brutally. Bluetus Apr 3 #23
Malcolm Nance Black Man Spy has the info and videos. flashman13 Apr 3 #17
Well, that's s****y. jeffreyi Apr 3 #18
American fighter jet downed over Iran, 1 crew member rescued, U.S. officials say muriel_volestrangler Apr 3 #19
Remember what trump said about service personel ? republianmushroom Apr 3 #22

PuraVidaDreamin

(4,676 posts)
3. Damn good time to take out a member of Joint Chiefs
Fri Apr 3, 2026, 10:00 AM
Apr 3

When can we start a predictive bet against Kegsbreath?

cab67

(3,832 posts)
4. Were US aircraft shot down in Afghanistan or during the Iraq War.
Fri Apr 3, 2026, 10:08 AM
Apr 3

Just curious. I know some were shot down during the Gulf War.

ruet

(10,318 posts)
6. The numbers are hard to compile...
Fri Apr 3, 2026, 10:26 AM
Apr 3

so I'll try to sum them up by memory.

In the first Gulf War we lost several
In the 2nd Gulf War we lost 4-5
In Afghanistan we lost 0

These are combat losses due to enemy fire for fixed-wing aircraft only. We lost many rotary aircraft in combat and and many fixed-wing aircraft due to accidents, friendly fire, etc.

ruet

(10,318 posts)
7. I'm seeing reports that the crew has been captured.
Fri Apr 3, 2026, 11:08 AM
Apr 3

None of them are from DU approved sources, for good reason, so I'm not going to post any stories regarding it.

ruet

(10,318 posts)
10. One thing to consider here...
Fri Apr 3, 2026, 11:17 AM
Apr 3

is that all of this is hours old. The incident is probably over. We are being slow-walked on everything in this war. I hazard to guess we many never have even heard about it if not for the documentary evidence released by 3rd parties.

 

617Blue

(2,526 posts)
11. True it seems to have happened yesterday. There was daylight search and rescue
Fri Apr 3, 2026, 11:27 AM
Apr 3

which according to Nance is very rare.

ruet

(10,318 posts)
12. For those interested.
Fri Apr 3, 2026, 11:32 AM
Apr 3

Besides Malcom Nance, I highly recommend Let. Colonel Daniel Davis' YT channel. He's going live any second now.

 

617Blue

(2,526 posts)
8. Malcolm Nance YT channel shows 2 pilot ejections and US rescue efforts C130 and 2 choppers
Fri Apr 3, 2026, 11:11 AM
Apr 3

niyad

(133,717 posts)
13. If this information is accurate, the US lost an F-15 AND an AWACS
Fri Apr 3, 2026, 12:02 PM
Apr 3

yesterday, plus the F-15 pilots??? JFC, the fucking assholes in charge of this clusterfuck.

Response to ruet (Original post)

Exp

(1,012 posts)
20. Trump has put the world in a dangerous place without good cause. Iran's nukes were "totally obliterated!" back in June,
Fri Apr 3, 2026, 12:49 PM
Apr 3

right?

Obama had a very tight nuke arms agreement with Iran that the rest of the world backed. And the rest of the world would've helped in a new war if necessary - but a new war was not.

Don't you agree that the ICC should issue arrest warrants for Trump and Kegsbreath's war crimes?



Dan

(5,275 posts)
15. I'm hoping that they do not
Fri Apr 3, 2026, 12:06 PM
Apr 3

Chop off the head of the crew member if they find him/her - which I guess is okay since we no long abide by the Geneva Conventions, per our leaders.

Bluetus

(3,034 posts)
16. Just a historical reminder
Fri Apr 3, 2026, 12:17 PM
Apr 3

In 1980, Reagan made a treasonous deal with the Iranians to hold our hostages an extra 6 months to give Reagan a boost in the election. In return, we ended up with the Iran-Contra arms-for-hostage trade after Reagan took office.

A key point is that, despite this treasonous deal on Reagan's part, none of the hostages were mistreated. There were no reports of torture or anything like that.

So who are the monsters? Our hands are never clean in these deals.

cab67

(3,832 posts)
21. One difference -
Fri Apr 3, 2026, 01:29 PM
Apr 3

The hostages in 1979 were embassy officials. They hadn't dropped bombs on anyone.

Bluetus

(3,034 posts)
23. Agreed. It would be an amazing amount of restraint not to treat today's hostages brutally.
Fri Apr 3, 2026, 04:14 PM
Apr 3

We don't know if there are any hostages yet, but if there is a ground invasion, there will certainly be hostages.

muriel_volestrangler

(106,501 posts)
19. American fighter jet downed over Iran, 1 crew member rescued, U.S. officials say
Fri Apr 3, 2026, 12:34 PM
Apr 3
A U.S. F-15E fighter jet was downed over Iran Friday, and one crew member from the plane was later rescued by American forces, U.S. officials confirmed to CBS News.

The F-15E is flown by a two-member crew and a search and rescue effort is ongoing, sources said.

https://www.cbsnews.com/news/american-fighter-jet-f15e-downed-over-iran/
Latest Discussions»Latest Breaking News»U.S. Fighter Jet Shot Dow...