Iran has claimed shooting down a US F-35 Lightning II stealth aircraft in the Central part of the country. However, experts believe that the downed aircraft is “clearly an F-15E”.
Iran’s Fars news agency said on Friday the army had launched a search for the pilot of a US fighter jet hit by an air defense system. The country has also offered a bounty for the capture of US pilots.
“Military forces have launched a search operation to find the American fighter pilot who was hit earlier today,” Fars said.
The Iranian state media reported on April 3, 2026, that the Islamic Republic Guard Corps (IRGC) shot down an American F-35 stealth fighter. The aircraft was downed using an unnamed “new air defense system,” according to the spokesperson for the Central Headquarters of Hazrat Khatam al-Anbia.
Photos posted on social media showed an ejection seat and debris. State media reported that the pilot was likely killed in the incident.
The Iranian authorities backed the claim of downing the F-35 by pointing towards the‘LN’ tail code, which, according to them, reveals the origin of the aircraft—RAF Lakenheath in the UK, home to the 48th Fighter Wing. The downed aircraft was allegedly part of the US Air Forces in Europe-Africa.
After the images were published, netizens questioned their authenticity, claiming they were AI-generated, while others said they appeared authentic. More importantly, though, experts and OSINT (Open Source Intelligence) analysts have stated it was an F-15E Strike Eagle, not an F-35.
The debris shows a vertical stabilizer, or tail fin, with clear markings indicating three things: the US Air Force in Europe badge or stencil, a red tail flash, and a tail code consistent with “LN.”
According to some reports, these markings belong to the 494th Fighter Squadron, which is part of the 48th Fighter Wing at RAF Lakenheath. The squadron purportedly operates F-15E Strike Eagles and has deployed some aircraft to Jordan as the 494th Expeditionary Fighter Squadron for operations in the region.
The EurAsian Times awaits the official announcement from CENTCOM (US Central Command).
This is the second time in less than a month that Iran claimed to have downed the American F-35 stealth fighter. On March 19, the West Asian nation published a video of an air defense system targeting a US F-35 operating in the region.
The US later confirmed that an F-35 fighter jet made an emergency landing at a US air base in the Middle East after it was struck by what is believed to be Iranian fire. Capt.
Tim Hawkins, a spokesperson for US Central Command, said the fifth-generation stealth jet was “flying a combat mission over Iran” when it was forced to make an emergency landing. Hawkins said the aircraft landed safely and the incident is under investigation.
“The aircraft landed safely, and the pilot is in stable condition,” Hawkins added. “This incident is under investigation.”
US officials rejected strong “shot down” claims, describing it as damage rather than a complete loss.
Nonetheless, if the latest images are found to be authentic, Iran may have downed its first F-15E Strike Eagle in combat, dealing another major blow to the USAF after destroying the E-3 Sentry AWACS aircraft and many refueling tankers, including the KC-135, as previously reported by the EurAsian Times.
If confirmed, this would be the fourth F-15E loss for the United States.
Earlier, on March 2, 2026, three USAF F-15Es were lost when they came under friendly fire from a Kuwait Air Force F/A-18 Hornet in a very unusual incident.
The F-15E & F-35 In Line Of Fire?
The F-15E Strike Eagle is a twin-engine, two-seat strike fighter, and the 494th FS is one of its primary operators. On January 17, 2026, about 12 F-15E Strike Eagles from RAF Lakenheath arrived in the Middle East. In fact, the USAF published a photograph of a 494th Fighter Squadron Strike Eagle landing at an unidentified Middle East facility on January 18.
The F-15E Strike Eagle is designed for air-to-air and air-to-ground missions and is operated by two crew members: a pilot and a weapons systems officer. Although the initial F-15 variants were primarily designed for air-to-air roles, the F-15E variant was tailored as a dual-role fighter meant for conducting long-range strikes and ground-attack operations.
For decades, the F-15E Strike Eagle has been a cornerstone of US Air Force Central operations, playing a crucial role in assurance and deterrence missions. Its extensive combat history includes participation in Operations Desert Storm, Enduring Freedom, and Inherent Resolve.
The F-15 has the reputation of being the only aircraft in the world to have over 100 kills to its name. However, the aircraft also has a small documented history of combat losses, primarily to ground-based threats such as artillery and air defense systems.
Meanwhile, the F-35 Lightning II is a family of single-seat, single-engine, fifth-generation stealth multirole fighter aircraft. It serves as a cornerstone of US air power for the Air Force, Navy, and Marine Corps and has been designed for air superiority, ground attack, electronic warfare, and ISR (Intelligence, Surveillance, and Reconnaissance) missions.
The US has reportedly deployed dozens of F-35 Lightning II fighters to the Middle East for Operation Epic Fury. About 12 F-35As from the Vermont Air National Guard, whereas about 18 from the 48th Fighter Wing at RAF Lakenheath, UK, were deployed, as per reports.
According to previous reports, about 30 F-35As were operating from land bases when the operation was launched, with more arriving in March. In addition, the USS Tripoli amphibious assault ship and the USS Abraham Lincoln aircraft carrier also host stealth fighters.
The F-35’s first combat use came in 2018 when Israel’s F-35Is conducted strikes against Iranian-linked targets in Syria. The jets were subsequently deployed by Israel during the ’12-Day War’ with Iran in June 2025.
Separately, the USAF deployed the F-35s as escorts for the B-2 bombers that struck Iranian nuclear facilities as part of “Operation Midnight Hammer” in June 2025.
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