Iranian drones flew in ‘jellyfish’ formation as US fighter jet was downed
Related: Iran airs disputed footage claiming strike on US F-35 jet
A US fighter pilot, rescued after his F-15E Strike Eagle was shot down by Iran on 3 April, described seeing Iranian drones swarm in a “jellyfish” formation before he ejected.
The pilot recounted to intelligence officials that multiple drones interconnected and moved as one, with smaller drones beneath, suggesting a significant advancement in Iran’s mass drone capabilities.
The incident marked the first time a US aircraft had been shot down over Iran during the ongoing conflict, with the cause still under investigation, though the drone formation is considered a possible factor.
Following the pilot’s safe ejection and rescue, a second airman, the weapons-system officer, remained stranded behind enemy lines, prompting a multi-pronged rescue mission.
The US president, Donald Trump, announced two days later that the second airman had been successfully recovered, sustaining injuries but reported to be “just fine”.
