File image.
The Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) announced on March 25 that it had shot down an American “F-18” fighter jet over southern Iran.
In a statement shared by the state-run Islamic Republic of Iran Broadcasting (IRIB), the guards said that its air defense systems struck the fighter jet over the port city of Chabahar in the province of Sistan and Baluchestan, causing it to crash into the Indian Ocean.
The IRGC described the incident as “the fourth successful interception of strategic fighter jets belonging to the hostile American and Zionist military by Iran’s fully indigenous, modern air defense systems,” according to IRIB.
Footage posted to social media later showed a fighter jet getting hit while maneuvering on a very low altitude over Chabahar.
The fighter jet was widely reported to be an F/A-18E/F Super Hornet, but it is more likely an EA-18G Growler, a dedicated electronic attack version.
Groweler pilots are trained to deliberately enter contested airspace, provoke enemy radar operators to switch on their systems, and then rapidly target those emitters or jam them before they can engage friendly warplanes. Similar fighter jets were spotted maneuvering like this over Chabahar more than once since the start of the war on Iran.
Whether it was a Super Hornet or a Groweler, the fighter jet likely belongs to the United States Navy’s Carrier Air Wing Nine, currently embarked aboard the USS Abraham Lincoln aircraft carrier, which has been launching strikes against the Islamic Republic from the Arabian Sea.
The missile that hit the fighter jet over Chabahar appeared to be small, which indicates that it was likely a man-portable air defense system.
Despite the footage, the U.S. Central Command (CENTCOM) denied that a fighter jet was “shot down” over Chabahar in a post to X.
“No U.S. fighter aircraft have been shot down by Iran,” the command wrote.
The incident came just a few days after an F-35 Lightning II fighter jet of the U.S. Air Force made a “hard landing” at an undisclosed American air base in the Middle East after getting hit by an Iranian anti-aircraft missile that caused damage and even wounded the pilot.
CENTCOM acknowledged the incident, and later reports revealed that the fighter jet, which costs more than $100 million, won’t be returning to service anytime soon.
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lotta interesting parts raining down in iran because of their clever ir optical recognition loitering sam. the latest curious find is an ale-50 towed decoy from raytheon. rus radar techs now probably busy studyin if xoxols use these in their glide bomb flights
notice in vid f18 dodges first sam but bleeds 2much speed gets hit by 359. in regard to those xoxols still flying mirages or sukhois and flankers dropping glide bombs, a combo buk plus iranian 358/359 would likely be a good knockout. ru would be eager to license and improve 359.
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how exactly are those new al50 towed decoys are supposed to be effective if irans plentiful short range air defences employ electro optimal sites and infrared imaging seekers which aren’t reliant on radar?!