Military Aircraft – War Watch

Defense Department | Drones (Pilotless Planes) | Far East, South and Southeast Asia and Pacific Areas | Hegseth, Pete | Iran | Iran's nuclear programme | Israel | Israel–Iran War | Military Aircraft | Missiles and Missile Defense Systems | Stockpiling | Trump, Donald J | United States Defense and Military Forces | United States Politics and Government | US and Israeli Attack on Iran (2026) | War and Armed Conflicts

Iran War Has Drained U.S. Supplies of Critical, Costly Weapons
ByEric Schmitt and Jonathan Swan April 23, 2026April 24, 2026

The Pentagon’s rush to rearm its Mideast forces makes it less ready to confront potential adversaries like Russia and China, administration and congressional officials say.

Read More Iran War Has Drained U.S. Supplies of Critical, Costly Weapons
Civilian Casualties | Defense Department | Education (K-12) | Hegseth, Pete | Iran | Iran's nuclear programme | Israel | Israel–Iran War | Military Aircraft | Pilots | Rescues | Shajarah Tayyebeh (Minab, Iran) | Trump, Donald J | United States Defense and Military Forces | United States Politics and Government | US and Israeli Attack on Iran (2026)

Pentagon Stays Mum on School Strike, Even as Trump Boasts of Iran Rescue
ByMegan Mineiro April 7, 2026April 7, 2026

President Trump and Secretary of Defense Pete Hegseth’s eagerness to recount details of the rescue of a downed airman followed weeks of silence on the deadly Tomahawk missile strike on an Iranian school.

Read More Pentagon Stays Mum on School Strike, Even as Trump Boasts of Iran Rescue
Iran | Iran's nuclear programme | Israel | Israel–Iran War | Military Aircraft | Military Bases and Installations | Starmer, Keir | Trump, Donald J | United States Air Force | United States Central Command | United States Defense and Military Forces | US and Israeli Attack on Iran (2026)

U.S. Fighter Jet Downed Over Iran Was Probably Based at R.A.F. Lakenheath, U.K. Airfield
ByStephen Castle April 4, 2026April 4, 2026

A military analyst identified markings consistent with a squadron based at R.A.F. Lakenheath, one of two British bases that host the largest U.S. fighter jet operation in Europe.

Read More U.S. Fighter Jet Downed Over Iran Was Probably Based at R.A.F. Lakenheath, U.K. Airfield
Iran | Iran's nuclear programme | Israel | Israel–Iran War | Lebanon | Military Aircraft | Rescues | Strait of Hormuz | United States Air Force | US and Israeli Attack on Iran (2026)

Here’s What Happened in the War in the Middle East on Friday
ByAshley Ahn April 4, 2026April 4, 2026

An American fighter jet was shot down by Iran for the first time since the start of the war, leading to an urgent search-and-rescue operation for a missing crew member.

Read More Here’s What Happened in the War in the Middle East on Friday
Baghdad (Iraq) | Defense and Military Forces | Interrogations | Iran | Iran's nuclear programme | Iraq | Israel | Israel–Iran War | Military Aircraft | Pilots | Prisoners of War | Rescues | Ronald Young Jr. | United States | United States Army | US and Israeli Attack on Iran (2026) | War and Armed Conflicts

Ex-US Army Pilot Recalls Battle for Survival When Shot Down in Iraq
ByPranav Baskar April 3, 2026April 3, 2026

Ronald Young Jr. was in the Army when his Apache Longbow copter went down during the U.S. invasion of Iraq.

Read More Ex-US Army Pilot Recalls Battle for Survival When Shot Down in Iraq
Aviation Accidents, Safety and Disasters | Defense and Military Forces | Defense Department | Hegseth, Pete | International Relations | Iran | Iran's nuclear programme | Israel | Israel–Iran War | Military Aircraft | Pilots | Rescues | Strait of Hormuz | Trump, Donald J | United States | United States Air Force | United States Central Command | United States Defense and Military Forces | United States International Relations | US and Israeli Attack on Iran (2026)

Iran Shoots Down U.S. Fighter Jet, Setting Off American Search and Rescue
ByEric Schmitt, Helene Cooper and Thomas Fuller April 3, 2026April 3, 2026

One crew member was rescued. The risky operation to find the second airman came as the United States and Israel struck infrastructure targets in Iran, prompting Iranian retaliation in the Gulf.

Read More Iran Shoots Down U.S. Fighter Jet, Setting Off American Search and Rescue
Defense and Military Forces | Iran | Iran's nuclear programme | Israel | Israel–Iran War | Military Aircraft | Pilots | Rescues | Trump, Donald J | United States Air Force | United States Defense and Military Forces | United States Politics and Government | US and Israeli Attack on Iran (2026)

What We Know About the Rescue of a U.S. Airman After Two Jet Crashes
ByNeil Vigdor April 3, 2026April 6, 2026

An airman was rescued on Saturday night, President Trump said. The rescue came after a risky two-day operation deep inside Iran.

Read More What We Know About the Rescue of a U.S. Airman After Two Jet Crashes
Airlines and Airplanes | Aviation Accidents, Safety and Disasters | Defense and Military Forces | Iran | Iran's nuclear programme | Israel | Israel–Iran War | Military Aircraft | United States | United States Air Force | United States Defense and Military Forces | US and Israeli Attack on Iran (2026)

The F-15E Strike Eagle: What to Know
ByPranav Baskar April 3, 2026April 3, 2026

The U.S. military aircraft with a two-person crew was shot down in Iran on Friday.

Read More The F-15E Strike Eagle: What to Know
Defense and Military Forces | International Relations | Iran | Iran's nuclear programme | Iraq | Israel | Israel–Iran War | Military Aircraft | Pilots | Rescues | Syria | United States | United States Central Command | United States Defense and Military Forces | United States International Relations | US and Israeli Attack on Iran (2026)

What U.S. military Pilots Are Trained to Do if Shot Down
ByPranav Baskar April 3, 2026

Read More What U.S. military Pilots Are Trained to Do if Shot Down
Defense and Military Forces | International Relations | Iran | Iran's nuclear programme | Iraq | Israel | Israel–Iran War | Military Aircraft | Pilots | Rescues | Syria | United States | United States Central Command | United States Defense and Military Forces | United States International Relations | US and Israeli Attack on Iran (2026)

What U.S. military Pilots Are Trained to Do if Shot Down
ByPranav Baskar April 3, 2026April 4, 2026

Read More What U.S. military Pilots Are Trained to Do if Shot Down