The Central Command (CENTCOM) of the US military on Monday confirmed that the three F-15E Strike Eagle fighter jets downed in Kuwait amid Operation Epic Fury were due to "an apparent friendly fire incident".
Epic Fury is the Pentagon's name for coordinated airstrikes by the US and Israel on Iran, which has so far killed a significant section of Tehran's top brass. Iran's reaction has sparked wider chaos in the Middle East.
Visuals from the active combat scene showed one of the three jets nosediving after taking fire amid attacks from Iranian aircraft, ballistic missiles, and drones.
At 11:03 p.m. ET, March 1, three U.S. F-15E Strike Eagles flying in support of Operation Epic Fury went down over Kuwait due to an apparent friendly fire incident.
— U.S. Central Command (@CENTCOM) March 2, 2026
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Iran, however, claimed earlier that its forces had shot down the aircraft.
"All six aircrew ejected safely, have been safely recovered, and are in stable condition. Kuwait has acknowledged this incident, and we are grateful for the efforts of the Kuwaiti defence forces and their support in this ongoing operation," CENTCOM said in an X post on Monday, adding that the incident was being probed further.
On F-15E Strike Eagles
The US-Israel offensive against Iran has also sparked interest in the US military's dual-role all-weather fighter jet. Here are five facts about them, as per the US Air Force website:
1) These jets have a low-altitude navigation and targeting infrared for night system (or LANTIRN), which allows them to fly at low altitudes to attack ground targets with a variety of precision-guided and unguided weapons. It consists of two pods attached to its exterior, giving it unequalled accuracy in weapons delivery.
2) Its APG-70 radar system allows the two-member crew to detect ground targets from long ranges. One feature of this system is that after a sweep of a target area, the crew freezes the air-to-ground map then goes back into air-to-air mode to clear for air threats. This helps the pilot and the weapons systems officer (WSO) coordinate effectively.
3) The F-15E is powered by two Pratt & Whitney F100-PW-220 (or PW-229) engines that incorporate advanced digital technology for improved performance, and can produce 50,000-58,000 pounds of thrust.
4) For air-to-ground missions, the F-15E can carry most weapons in the Air Force inventory, including AIM-9M Sidewinders, AIM-120 advanced medium range air-to-air missiles, or AMRAAM for air-to-air roles. It also has an internally mounted 20mm gun that can carry up to 500 rounds.
5) Weighing 17,010kg, the F-15E Strike Eagle was priced at $31.1 million, as of April 2019.
