Pilot of fighter jet downed over Iran was previously shot down in Kuwaiti friendly fire incident, sources say The pilot of an F-15E fighter jet shot down by a surface-to-air missile over Iran had previously ejected from a jet downed by Kuwaiti friendly fire just over 30 days earlier. This pilot was among aircrew from three F-15Es mistakenly shot down by Kuwaiti defenses early in the war. The dual incidents are considered a highly unusual coincidence, with experts noting it’s rare for a pilot to be downed in separate incidents during the same conflict.

• The pilot of an F-15E shot down over Iran was also flying one of the jets downed by Kuwaiti friendly fire at the war’s start.
• The pilot ejected safely from the friendly fire incident in Kuwait and was rescued after ejection over Iran.
• This marks the second time the pilot has been forced to eject during the same military campaign.
• Experts describe the dual shootdowns as a highly unusual coincidence, potentially unprecedented since the Vietnam War.
• The pilot and the second crew member on the downed F-15E over Iran were rescued.