Trump Struggles to Explain

Two U.S. Jets Crashed: What We Know So Far

Iran shot down such a U.S. F-15E fighter jet on Friday.(Bild: AFP/JACK GUEZ)

The U.S. Air Force suffered painful setbacks in the Iran conflict on Friday. Two fighter jets crashed, at least one of which was shot down by Iran. One crew member is still missing—and U.S. President Trump is struggling to explain the situation. 

Donald Trump and his team had recently suggested that Iran no longer posed a threat to the U.S. in its airspace. Friday’s incidents are therefore particularly sensitive for the U.S. president: In southern Iran, a U.S. F-15E fighter jet was shot down, and later a U.S. A-10 jet crashed.

What we know so far and what could happen next:

F-15E aircraft

• The F-15E fighter jet was shot down by Iranian forces, according to the U.S. government. This is the first confirmed enemy attack on a U.S. fighter jet in more than 20 years.

• According to consistent media reports, the fighter jet’s pilot was rescued by U.S. special forces.

• An armament officer was also on board the aircraft and is currently still missing. According to media reports, the U.S. military has sent special forces to the south of the country to search for him.

• The situation is delicate: both Iran and the U.S. are desperate to find the missing weapons officer.

Iran shot down such a US F-15E fighter jet on Friday.(Bild: AFP/JACK GUEZ)

A-10 aircraft

• The second aircraft—an A-10 fighter jet—is also said to have been hit by Iranian air defenses, at least according to state TV, citing the Islamic Republic’s armed forces. The aircraft reportedly crashed into the Persian Gulf.

• The U.S. military has so far only confirmed that the aircraft crashed, but not that it was shot down by Iran.
• The pilot managed to steer the single-seat aircraft out of Iranian territory and into Kuwaiti airspace. He then ejected and was rescued, CNN reported, citing a U.S. official.
• According to insiders, the A-10 aircraft was supporting the search and rescue operation for the F-15, as reported by NBC News.

An A-10 fighter jet(Bild: AFP/SENIOR MASTER SGT. VINCENT DE GR)

Trump in a tight spot
Trump has so far remained fairly tight-lipped about the search for the U.S. military officer in Iran. When asked by the British newspaper “The Independent” what he would do if the missing F-15E crew member were captured or injured by Iranians, Trump replied: “Well, I can’t comment on that because—we hope that won’t happen.”

However, if the Iranians were to find the U.S. officer first, it would be “a major coup” for the leadership there, said Laurel Rapp, director of the North America program at the think tank Chatham House. Tehran would then have “a very powerful bargaining chip.” Pro-government broadcasters in Iran have called for the man to be captured alive. In Iran, reports have emerged of bounties amounting to the equivalent of up to around 87,000 euros.

U.S. President Donald Trump refuses to comment on what will happen if the Iranians capture the missing man.(Bild: EPA/ALEX BRANDON / POOL)

Two Possible Scenarios
Expert Hamidreza Azizi can envision two scenarios that could unfold if Iran were to get its hands on the weapons officer. The expert on Iranian security issues at the German Institute for International and Security Affairs described these to the “New York Times” as follows:

1. The Iranians keep the capture secret. Then Iran could negotiate with the U.S. behind closed doors and demand concessions.
2. The Iranians publicly present the captive in front of cameras. The expert considers this more likely: “They are desperate to convey this image of victory and at the same time humiliate Trump.”

Arms officer “on the run for a day and a half”
The rescue operation in Iran is “very dangerous and complex,” Bryan Stern, a veteran of U.S. special forces, told CNN. However, he added that it is very important to find the weapons officer as quickly as possible. The missing man has been “on the run for a day and a half, which is a very long time when you’re being actively pursued behind enemy lines in the mountains, have limited communication options, and may also be injured,” Stern said, underscoring the gravity of the situation. 

During the rescue operation, in addition to the A-10, two Black Hawk helicopters involved in the mission were reportedly fired upon by Iran, according to the Washington Post, citing U.S. officials. Crew members were injured in the incident, but both helicopters returned safely to their base.