US Air Force loses 3 F-15E Strike Eagles over Kuwait in friendly fire
March 2, 2026
Three US Air Force F-15E Strike Eagles were shot down over Kuwait late on March 1 in what Central Command has confirmed was an apparent friendly fire incident during active combat operations.
All six aircrew ejected safely and have been recovered. They are reported to be in stable condition, according to CENTCOM.
Three US F-15Es shot down by friendly fire
In a statement released from Tampa, Florida, US Central Command said that at 11:03 p.m. ET on March 1, three F-15E Strike Eagles flying in support of Operation Epic Fury “went down over Kuwait due to an apparent friendly fire incident.”
CENTCOM stated that during active combat, which included attacks from Iranian aircraft, ballistic missiles and drones, the aircraft were mistakenly engaged by Kuwaiti air defences.
“All six aircrew ejected safely, have been safely recovered, and are in stable condition,” the statement said.
Kuwait has acknowledged the incident and is coordinating with U.S. forces. The cause remains under investigation.
Videos emerged of an American F-15E being hit in mid-air and then caught in a flat spin with its engines on fire as it plummeted to the earth.
An US F-15 was shot down over Kuwait due to friendly fire. The pilot ejected successfully and was later recovered by locals on the ground. pic.twitter.com/2hh7tglSsq
— (((Tendar))) (@Tendar) March 2, 2026
In a statement, the Kuwait Army posted in Arabic, “Several U.S. military aircraft crashed this morning, confirming the complete safety of their crews.”
It also stated that the crews were safe and had been taken to hospitals. The statement also said “direct coordination was conducted with the friendly U.S. forces regarding the circumstances of the incident, and joint technical measures were taken.”
بيان رقم 7
— KUWAIT ARMY – الجيش الكويتي (@KuwaitArmyGHQ) March 2, 2026
صرّح الناطق الرسمي باسم وزارة الدفاع بأنه في صباح هذا اليوم سقطت عدد من الطائرات الحربية الأمريكية، مؤكداً نجاة أطقمها بالكامل.
وأوضح أن الجهات المختصة باشرت فوراً إجراءات البحث والإنقاذ، حيث تم إخلاء الأطقم ونقلهم إلى المستشفى للاطمئنان على حالتهم الصحية وتقديم… pic.twitter.com/HYX3LGqEX1
This aligns with videos published that appear to show the US pilots ejecting, with three pilots filmed being recovered.
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Friendly fire remains a risk in active combat situations
Friendly fire incidents, while rare, have occurred in previous conflicts when aircraft were misidentified during active engagements.
In 2024, during operations against the Houthis, the USS Gettysburg shot down a US Navy F/A-18 Super Hornet as it was returning to the carrier, while a second F/A-18 managed to evade an incoming missile.
The Kuwaiti air defense was involved in a second friendly fire incident, downing another US Air Force F-15E. pic.twitter.com/ujpoIugF4l
— (((Tendar))) (@Tendar) March 2, 2026
Deconfliction in wartime is hard. A significant share of the Russian fighter jets shot down over Ukraine were hit by friendly fire. This is even more difficult when multiple countries are involved in the conflict.
The F-15E is one of the aircraft used by the USAF to counter Iranian drones. Iran has targeted Kuwait with scores of missiles and Shahed drones, and it is unclear if the F-15E was defending Kuwaiti skies or if it was taking part in offensive operations against Iran.
The incident underscores the risks of operating layered air defence systems during high-tempo combat involving multiple nations. During missile and drone attacks, rapid identification and deconfliction between allied aircraft and ground-based air defences becomes critical.
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
Read more:https://t.co/i2y3Q3vo2E
Tyler Rogoway from The War Zone went as far as to say that while the UAE and Saudi Arabia have very capable aircraft, the headaches from deconfliction might make their participation more trouble than it’s worth.
Air dominance over Iran and picking off Iran’s air force
The US and Israel have achieved air superiority over much of Iran and are systematically destroying its air defence systems and fighter jets.
That said, videos emerged showing an Iranian MiG-29 and a newly supplied Russian-origin Yak-130 advanced trainer/light fighter over the skies of Tehran. It appears they may be attempting to intercept incoming drones or missiles.
Fighter jets are flying over Tehran’s sky. pic.twitter.com/0JzbjVnQyk
— Mohamad Ahwaze (@MohamadAhwaze) March 2, 2026
US MQ-9 Reapers have been filmed flying over Shiraz deep inside Iran; the presence of Reapers over key Iranian cities speaks to the inability of Iran to protect its skies.
US and Israeli jets have been destroying veritable museum pieces that make up the Iranian air forces on the ground.
OSINT account, Shin, posted late last night that 2x F-14 Tomcats in Isfahan AB, 2x F-4 Phantoms in Tabriz AB, 1x F-5 Tiger in Isfahan AB, and 2x F-7Ns in Isfahan have been targeted.
U.S. forces are taking bold action to eliminate imminent threats posed by the Iranian regime. Strikes continue. pic.twitter.com/z1x07D7APl
— U.S. Central Command (@CENTCOM) March 2, 2026
Since then, the US Central Command has posted footage of a strike against what appears to be an old Su-22, the export version of the Soviet Su-17 Fitter.
Featured image: DVIDS
