CENTCOM has denied social media reports of the loss of another F-15E Strike Eagle, this time over enemy territory, as part of ongoing operations against Iran.
The latest controversy erupted when unverified reports and social media posts suggested a fourth F-15E had been lost over southwestern Iran during a strike mission early Wednesday, March 4, 2026.
A popular @sentdefender account on X claimed that an F-15E had gone down, and the claim went viral, further propagated by other popular X accounts.
The post claimed the F-15 had gone down during a strike mission over southwestern Iran, but said the proximate cause was unknown. The Strike Eagles were said to have been able to eject safely and were then recovered in a joint U.S.-Israeli combat search and rescue mission.
However, CENTCOM swiftly refuted these rumors, stating on March 5 that such reports were “baseless and NOT TRUE.” A CENTCOM spokesperson emphasized that no additional U.S. aircraft have been lost beyond those already acknowledged.
This denial comes on the heels of an embarrassing incident earlier in the week when three U.S. Air Force F-15E Strike Eagles were downed over Kuwait in what CENTCOM described as an “apparent friendly fire incident.”
The Strike Eagles were erroneously attacked during an Iranian missile and drone attack on Kuwait. Initial reports pointed to Kuwaiti air defenses, but it has now been established that a Kuwaiti Air Force F/A-18 Hornet pilot fired three AIM-9 Sidewinder missiles at unsuspecting Strike Eagles.
All three F-15Es were hit, but all six crew members ejected safely and were recovered in stable condition. The incident, one of the costliest friendly fire events in recent U.S. military history, highlights the risks of multinational operations.
Kuwait’s Ministry of Defense acknowledged crashes of “several U.S. military aircraft” without initially admitting responsibility, while video footage circulated online showed at least one F-15 spiraling downward in flames near Al Jahra.
Amid these U.S. setbacks, the F-15s have also tasted some success! As EurAsian Times reported earlier, Qatar’s Emiri Air Force achieved its first confirmed air-to-air kills when its F-15QA fighters shot down two Iranian Su-24 tactical bombers.
The Su-24s, Soviet-era strike aircraft operated by Iran’s forces, were attempting a low-altitude run—flying as low as 80 feet to evade radar—targeting the strategic Al Udeid Air Base and the Ras Laffan liquefied natural gas facility.
Qatari and U.S. sources told CNN the bombers were mere “two minutes” from their targets when neutralized over Qatari waters.
F-15E Strike Eagle
The F-15E Strike Eagle is designed for air-to-air and air-to-ground missions and employs two crew members, a pilot and a weapons systems officer.
Previous F-15 models were assigned air-to-air roles; the “E” model is a dual-role fighter. It can fight its way to a target over long ranges and destroy enemy ground positions.
The Strike Eagle is armed with an APG-70 radar system that enables the F-15 crew to detect ground targets at long ranges. During air-to-surface missions, the pilot can identify and neutralize aerial threats while the Weapons Systems Officer (WSO) focuses on marking ground targets.
A key factor that boosts F-15’s operations is the Low Altitude Navigation and Targeting Infrared for Night (LANTIRN) system. This allows the F-15E to operate at very low ranges, delivering a wide array of precision-guided weapons with deadly accuracy.
The navigation pod contains terrain-following radar, which assists the F-15 pilot in safely flying at very low altitude by displaying cues on a heads-up display. This system can also be coupled to the aircraft’s autopilot to provide “hands off” terrain-following capability.
The targeting pod includes a laser designator paired with a precision tracking system, allowing targets to be designated and engaged from extended ranges. Once tracking has been initiated, targeting information is automatically handed off to GPS or laser-guided bombs.
One of the most important additions to the F-15E is the rear cockpit, which is assigned to the WSO, who manages four multi-function displays that can show data from radar, electronic warfare systems, or infrared sensors; track aircraft and weapon status; assess threats; designate targets; and utilize an electronic moving map for navigation.
In addition to three similar screens in the front seat, the pilot has a transparent glass heads-up display at eye level that displays vital flight and tactical information.
The F-15E is powered by two Pratt & Whitney F100-PW-220 or F100-PW-229 engines, both of which incorporate advanced digital controls to boost performance.
Thanks to the digital electronic engine control, F-15 pilots can surge from idle to full afterburner in under four seconds—a roughly 40% improvement over older systems. This rapid thrust response translates to shorter takeoff rolls and sharper handling during aggressive maneuvers.
Each of the low-drag conformal fuel tanks that hug the F-15E’s fuselage can carry 750 gallons of fuel. The tanks hold weapons on short pylons rather than on conventional weapon racks, reducing drag and further extending the Strike Eagle’s range.
The F-15E can carry most of the US Air Force’s weapons. It can also be armed with AIM-9M Sidewinders, AIM-120 advanced medium-range air-to-air missiles, or AMRAAM for the air-to-air role. The “E” model also has an internally mounted 20mm gun that can carry up to 500 rounds.
- Contact EurAsian Times at editor (at) eurasiantimes.com
- Follow EurAsian Times on Google News
