Iran claims to have shot down a US F-35 fighter jet

US F-35 Fighter Jet Makes Emergency Landing in Middle East Amid Escalating Tensions with Iran

A United States F-35 fighter jet made an emergency landing at an airbase in the Middle East last week, according to two sources familiar with the matter. The incident occurred during the escalating US-Israeli war on Iran.

The pilot of the aircraft suffered shrapnel wounds and was reportedly hit by ground fire, according to a report by Air & Space Forces Magazine. Iranian state media also reported that the F-35 had been struck by Iran as it returned from a combat mission.

Captain Tim Hawkins, spokesperson for the US military’s Central Command (CENTCOM), confirmed that the incident is under investigation and that the pilot was in a stable condition after landing safely. The location of the aircraft’s landing was not specified.

Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps issued a statement claiming to have targeted a US aircraft, while Iranian state media released footage showing what they described as Tehran’s air defence systems hitting a US F-35 stealth fighter.

The F-35 is a family of stealth strike fighters manufactured by Lockheed Martin, with advanced sensors and high-speed computing capabilities. The jet is designed to be less detectable and gather more information on its surroundings than earlier generations of fighter jets.

Several countries partner with the US in manufacturing F-35s, including Australia, Canada, Italy, Denmark, the Netherlands, Norway, and the United Kingdom. The aircraft has three types: F-35A, F-35B, and F-35C, each with unique capabilities such as vertical takeoff and landing.

The incident is significant as it marks the first reported instance of an F-35 being struck by Iran during the war.

Source: Al Jazeera