kuwaitis F/A-18 Hornet As China-U.S. relations continue to be tense, the plane is suspected of accidentally shooting down three U.S. F-15s. Iran. Central Command initially issued a press release saying the three planes crashed in an “apparent friendly fire incident.” However, it is unclear whether another aircraft was involved.
“At 11:03 pm ET on March 1, three U.S. F-15E Strike Eagles flying in support of Operation Epic Fury crashed over Kuwait due to an apparent incident of friendly fire. During active combat that included attacks by Iranian aircraft, ballistic missiles, and drones, the U.S. Air Force fighter jets were mistakenly shot down by Kuwaiti air defenses,” statement read.
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The statement added: “All six crew members ejected safely and were rescued safely and are in stable condition. Kuwait has acknowledged the incident and we thank the Kuwait Defense Forces for their efforts and their support of ongoing operations. The cause of the incident is under investigation. More information will be released as it becomes available.”
Suspicions later turned to a Kuwaiti aircraft, according to Air Force and Space Force Magazine. The incident occurred on the third day of the conflict between the United States and Iran. At least one Kuwaiti F/A-18 is believed to be responsible, the magazine reported. They have F/A-18s and Eurofighter Typhoons.
Kuwait F/A-18 Hornet Incident: Everything You Need to Know
All six people (three pilots and three weapons systems officers) managed to survive after a suspected Kuwaiti F/A-18 downed the plane and are reportedly recovering.
The exact circumstances of how the three planes were shot down remain unclear. However, one former pilot expressed doubts.
“If you’re flying an air defense mission, the first thing you do is interrogate with your transponder. If you’re beyond visual range, you interrogate other aircraft to see if they’re flying.” quack Friendly code. If you don’t have friendly identification, then you have visual identification,” the former pilot said.
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Notably, Allied pilots have taken steps to prevent such incidents, with the publication stating that U.S. pilots broadcast codes identifying friend or foe, which Allied forces use to know they are dealing with a friendly entity.
The expert added that based on the fact that the crew ejected safely, “they were hit from the rear quadrant.” The former pilot also believes they were likely hit “by a heat-seeking missile that didn’t have a really large warhead.” It is unclear whether the US spacecraft has activated the identification friend or foe system.
“It would be difficult to mistake an F-15E for an Iranian aircraft, especially if they were not maneuvering in any offensive manner,” the former pilot said, adding that even if the planes did not fly with their transponders on, that would not be a reason to fire. “They have to show some kind of hostile intent. If they’re just flying, it’s not hostile intent.”
The incident came a day after an Iranian drone struck a tactical operations center in the Kuwaiti port of Shuaiba, killing six U.S. soldiers.
Kuwait F/A-18 Hornet: Everything you need to know about the aircraft
The F/A-18 Hornet is an all-weather, supersonic, twin-engine, carrier-based multi-role fighter aircraft. It was designed as a fighter and ground attack aircraft, which is why it has the F/A designation.
It was designed by McDonnell Douglas and Northrop Corporation. The aircraft can be used in a variety of roles, including fighter escort, close air support and fleet air defense. The U.S. Navy has used the YF-17 since 1983 when it developed its design.
Since then, many countries have also purchased the aircraft from the United States. These include Australia, Canada, Spain and Kuwait. The Kuwait Air Force ordered these aircraft in 1988. Deliveries lasted from October 1991 to August 1993.
