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USAF F-35A pilot wounded by shrapnel

After a USAF F-35A Lightning II was hit over Iran on Mar. 19, his pilot was wounded by shrapnel, Air & Space Forces Magazine reports.

Because of the altitude it usually flies, the Lightning II was probably damaged by a surface-to-air missile (SAM) even though the US Central Command (CENTCOM) has not provided details and the incident is under investigation.

As already reported, after being allegedly hit by Iranian fire the F-35A stealth fighter jet was forced to make an emergency landing at a US air base in the Middle East.

The fifth-generation stealth jet was “flying a combat mission over Iran” when it was forced to make an emergency landing, Capt. Tim Hawkins, a spokesperson for US Central Command, explained to CNN. He added that the aircraft landed safely and the incident is under investigation.

“The aircraft landed safely, and the pilot is in stable condition,” Hawkins said. “This incident is under investigation.”

The incident would be the first time Iran has hit a US aircraft since the beginning of Operation Epic Fury. The F-35 is flown by both the US and Israel in this war and it costs circa $100 million.

Unverified video

As we have already explained, after the incident Iranian state media released the video below (posted on Twitter by @OSINTtechical) showing one of its air defense systems hitting the F-35. The clip, featuring an interface consistent with Iranian EO/IR systems, has been widely circulated; open-source analysts note it does not appear to be AI-generated, though full authenticity remains unverified by independent sources.

If confirmed, the video would show the moment the USAF F-35A on a mission during Operation Epic Fury is hit by an air defense system (a Qaem-118 missile?) of the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC). The IRGC said that the aircraft was hit at 2:50 p.m. local time.

The F-35A hit, is another US air asset damaged or lost during Operation Epic Fury, following 5 KC-135s damaged in Iranian Attack Saudi Air Base on Mar. 13, one KC-135 lost in Iraq and one damaged that safely landed in Israel on Mar. 12 and three  F-15E Strike Eagles shot down by friendly fire of a Kuwaiti F/A-18 on Mar. 2. Several MQ-9 Reaper drones have been lost during Operation Epic Fury too.

USAF’s latest fifth-generation fighter

The F-35A is the USAF’s latest fifth-generation fighter. It will replace the service’s aging fleet of F-16 Fighting Falcons and A-10 Thunderbolt II’s, which have been the primary fighter aircraft for more than 20 years, and bring with it an enhanced capability to survive in the advanced threat environment in which it was designed to operate. With its aerodynamic performance and advanced integrated avionics, the F-35A provides next-generation stealth, enhanced situational awareness, and reduced vulnerability for the United States and allied nations.

The F-35A’s advanced sensor package is designed to gather, fuse and distribute more information than any fighter in history, giving operators a decisive advantage over all adversaries. Its processing power, open architecture, sophisticated sensors, information fusion and flexible communication links make the F-35 an indispensable tool in future homeland defense, Joint and Coalition irregular warfare and major combat operations.

Photo credit: U.S. Air Force