Live Updates: US Aircraft Down In Iran: F15E Downed, A-10 Crashes, and CSAR Helicopters Hit

Last Updated on April 6, 2026 by allieddispatch | Published: April 3, 2026

A dramatic day on Friday, 03 April 2026, saw US aircraft downed, and others hit. U.S. officials confirmed that one crew member from the downed F15E Strike Eagle has been successfully rescued.

UPDATE 4TH APRIL 2026: As of 10:30 AM local time in Tehran, the search for the missing WSO has entered its first full day of sunlight. US assets remain on high alert while Iranian state media continues to offer rewards for the airman’s capture.

UPDATE 4TH APRIL 2026: As of 12:00 PM local time in Tehran, International reports (AFP) are now describing this as a literal “race to find the crew member.” Both US Special Forces and Iranian IRGC units are converging on the crash sector in Southwest Iran.

UPDATE 4TH APRIL 2026: As of 2.30 PM local time in Tehran, local militia groups in the southwestern mountains have been alerted to assist the IRGC.

UPDATE: 4TH APRIL 2026: As of 5:00 PM local time in Tehran, the IDF has reportedly paused offensive strikes in the search sector, redirecting intelligence and surveillance assets to assist the U.S. in locating the WSO’s emergency beacon.

UPDATE 4TH APRIL 2026: As of 11.30 PM local time in Tehran, the Weapons System Officer (WSO) remains missing and is the subject of an intense, high-stakes search and recovery mission in southwestern Iran. The lack of official updates from CENTCOM or the Pentagon is expected. And the lack of a running commentary on what has happened or may be happening. During active recovery phases, a total information blackout is standard practice to prevent the IRGC from gaining tactical intelligence on extraction points or flight paths. Local reports confirm US HC-130J, HH60’s, and A-10C “Sandy” escorts in the vicinity of the border, indicating that the recovery “umbrella” remains active and ready to support a pickup at a moment’s notice.

UPDATE 5TH APRIL 2026: As of 3.20 AM local time in Tehran, the search for the WSO remains the focal point of tonight’s operations in southwestern Iran.

Here is what we can currently confirm from the ground:

• Aerial Activity: Continuous reports of high-altitude and low-level aerial presence over the Kohgiluyeh and Boyer-Ahmad province. Locals in Sisakht have reported multiple passes by unidentified fast jets throughout the night.
• Kinetic Reports: Iranian sources, including Iran International, are reporting a high-precision strike on a telecommunications and broadcast tower at Kouh Siah (Black Mountain). While it is unconfirmed if this is directly linked to the recovery effort, the location aligns with the primary search area.

UPDATE 5TH APRIL 2026: As of 6.30 AM local time in Tehran, there have been mass unconfirmed reports of heavy Pro-IRGC casualties. Iran State Media has also reported a convoy was attacked by an A-10 in the area of the search. A local alert for local hospitals has also been released. for a mass casualty situation.

Editor’s Note: As a veteran-led organisation that has operated in similar situations, and out of respect for the safety of those involved and ongoing CSAR operations, we will not speculate on specific elements that could jeopardise any rescue or highlight any sign of a failure or a success until official confirmation is in the public domain.

UPDATE 5TH APRIL 2026: As of 7.40 AM local time in Tehran, we can now share that officials have confirmed that the missing  F15E crew member has been successfully rescued. Following a night of intense combat and “heavy fire” in the Zagros Mountains, all U.S. personnel are now clear of Iranian territory.

FINAL UPDATE 5TH APRIL 2026: We have a follow-up article on this available here.

The following is all related to events before the 4th April.

A breakthrough in the search for the downed F-15E crew has been confirmed. According to official reports, one of the two crew members, confirmed to be the aircraft’s Pilot, has been successfully rescued by carried out by American Combat Search and Rescue (CSAR) teams operating under extreme risk within Iranian airspace

While the Pilot is now in stable condition at a U.S. military facility, the fate of the Weapon Systems Officer (WSO) remains uncertain. Israeli media, including N12 News, was the first to report the rescue, suggesting a high level of intelligence coordination between the IDF and CENTCOM. The search for the WSO (Wizzo) has now entered a critical phase as night falls over the Chaharmahal and Bakhtiari and Khuzestan provinces.”

This incident marks a significant escalation in Operation Epic Fury, being the first manned U.S. fighter jet downed over Iranian territory since the conflict began about five weeks ago. While CENTCOM Commander Admiral Brad Cooper recently stated that Iranian air defences had been largely degraded, this shootdown suggests that mobile or previously undetected systems remain a threat to coalition aircraft. Defence Secretary Pete Hegseth and President Trump have both been briefed on the recovery efforts as the U.S. maintains its stance on air superiority in the region.

CSAR Helicopters Under Heavy Fire

Reports from the ground in the Khuzestan Province indicate that the rescue mission has turned into a high-intensity firefight. While one F-15E crew member was successfully extracted, the two HH-60 helicopters involved in the mission have reportedly been ‘hit by Iranian fire. ‘

Sources suggest that at least one of the HH60’s took significant fire while attempting to conduct their rescue mission. While Iranian state media (Tasnim) is claiming a ‘shoot down’ of a U.S. helicopter, American officials have clarified that the crew of the HH-60 is accounted for and currently safe, though the crew may be wounded. This escalation confirms that the IRGC has moved significant mobile air defence assets into the Zagros Mountains to intercept the rescue corridor.”

A High-Stakes Hunt in Rugged Terrain

The focus has now shifted to the rugged, mountainous terrain of the Kohgiluyeh and Boyer-Ahmad province. Local Iranian broadcasts have shifted their tone, moving from claims that the pilots died in the crash to offering a “precious prize” or financial reward of upto $60,000 to any civilians or nomadic tribes who assist in the capture of the remaining American airman.

Evidence from the crash site, including images of an ACES II ejection seat verified by aviation experts, confirms that at least one crew member from the F15E successfully exited the aircraft. Evidence and images are circulating on social media of the wreckage. The debris clearly shows a vertical stabiliser with a red tail flash and the “LN” tail code, confirming the F15E aircraft belongs to the 494th Fighter Squadron (the “Black Panthers”) out of RAF Lakenheath, UK.

This Lakenheath based F15E’s were recently deployed to the region as part of the 494th Expeditionary Fighter Squadron.

U.S. assets such as “Sandy” A-10 Thunderbolt II’s continue to maintain a heavy presence over southwestern Iran, providing “top cover” as the “Golden Hour” for the second aviator’s recovery begins to close.

You can find details on the specs and other details on a F15-E here.

Escalation in the South: A-10 Thunderbolt II Downed Near Strait of Hormuz

While the search for the F-15E crew remains the primary focus in the north, a second U.S. airframe has been confirmed lost in the south. An A-10 Thunderbolt II, a platform heavily utilised in Operation Epic Fury for maritime interdiction, went down in the Strait of Hormuz earlier today.

​Unlike the ongoing evasion situation in the mountains, U.S. Central Command (CENTCOM) has confirmed that the A-10 pilot was recovered safely shortly after the aircraft impacted the water. The A-10s, recently surged to the theatre from the 107th Fighter Squadron (Michigan Air National Guard), have been essential in countering IRGC fast-attack craft. Initial reports suggest this second loss may be related to the intense anti-aircraft fire currently concentrated around Iran’s southern coastal batteries, though a mechanical failure has not been ruled out.

A Growing List of Coalition Air Losses

Today’s double loss of an F-15E and an A-10 Thunderbolt II, as well as the reported hits of CSAR helicopters, marks the most significant day of attrition for U.S. airpower since the start of **Operation Epic Fury**. These incidents follow the tragic loss of a **KC-135 Stratotanker** on March 12, which claimed the lives of six airmen in western Iraq. While the Pentagon previously noted that Iranian air defences were ‘largely degraded,’ the successful engagement of a Strike Eagle over the Zagros Mountains suggests the threat remains potent.

Today comes after the KC125 incident from a few weeks ago, which saw the loss of six US service personnel. You can read our post on that here.