After Trump Boasted of Full Control Over Iran’s Airspace, Two Warplanes Were Shot Down

(SeaPRwire) –   During the initial phase of the conflict with Iran, Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth stated that American forces would secure “uncontested airspace” in a week. On March 13, he asserted Iran possessed “no air defenses.” Similarly, President Donald Trump remarked as recently as last Wednesday that Iran lacks spotters, anti-aircraft weapons, and radar, adding that U.S. aircraft were “just floating over the top looking for whatever we want, and we’re hitting it.”

These assertions of total U.S. aerial supremacy were contradicted on Friday when two American military aircraft were lost within hours. An F-15E fighter jet was downed over southern Iran, and the Iranian military announced it had struck an A-10 Thunderbolt with a surface-to-air missile near the Strait of Hormuz.

The Pentagon has not publicly addressed the incidents, but U.S. officials informed the New York Times the A-10 crashed in Kuwait and its pilot was recovered. The F-15 pilot was also rescued, though a search continues for a second crew member.

According to the Washington Post, two Black Hawk helicopters were struck while attempting to locate the missing F-15 crew member but remained operational.

This apparent U.S. misjudgment of Iran’s air defense strength occurs as President Trump considers escalating American involvement, potentially complicating his strategy.

On Saturday, he warned Iran would face “hell” if it did not open the Strait of Hormuz.

“Remember when I gave Iran ten days to MAKE A DEAL or OPEN UP THE HORMUZ STRAIT. Time is running out – 48 hours before all Hell will reign down on them. Glory be to GOD!” he posted on Truth Social.

How did Iran shoot down a U.S. fighter jet?

On Saturday, Iran’s military reported using a new air defense system to engage a U.S. fighter jet and vowed it would “definitely achieve full control” over its skies, as per state media.

A spokesman for Iran’s Khatam al-Anbiya joint military command declared, “The enemy should know that we will achieve the complete control of the sky of our country with new air defence systems built by the young scientists and proud youth of this country… and prove the humiliation of the enemy to the world more than before.”

Iran has developed a layered air defense network using short, medium, and long-range surface-to-air missiles from domestic and foreign sources. Its most advanced domestic system is the Bavar-373, which works in concert with the Russian S-300.

Israel stated it largely destroyed Iran’s S-300 capabilities during a June 2025 strike on nuclear sites, and both U.S. and Israeli forces focused early war efforts on eliminating these defenses.

However, recent events indicate Iran maintains some air defense capacity.

“Make no mistake, there still are select surface-to-air missile systems that can work…plus those shoulder-launched missiles that if you’re flying at a low enough altitude could still pose a threat,” Behnam Ben Taleblu of the Foundation for Defense of Democracies told Fox News on Friday.

A February Financial Times report revealed Iran signed a multi-million dollar deal with Russia to buy thousands of advanced shoulder-fired missiles to strengthen its air defenses. The system, called Verba, is a modern Russian man-portable system that launches infrared-guided missiles against cruise missiles, low-flying aircraft, and drones.

Although the deal is scheduled from 2027 to 2029, some deliveries may have arrived ahead of schedule. Russia has also allegedly provided Iran with intelligence on U.S. military assets like warship and aircraft locations.

The F-15 loss marks the first confirmed downing of a U.S. combat aircraft in Iranian territory since the war started.

The Pentagon and White House did not immediately reply to TIME’s request for comment.

U.S. Central Command noted in a Wednesday statement that American forces have conducted over 13,000 sorties, hitting more than 12,300 targets. It has also deployed slower, more vulnerable B-52 bombers—an indication that Iran’s air defenses have been substantially weakened.

A race to find the missing American crew member

Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) stated it is scouring the area where the pilot’s aircraft fell. Concurrently, Iranian authorities publicly urged locals on Friday to search for the F-15 crew member, offering a reward equivalent to $60,000.

The rescue mission for the missing F-15 aviator extended into Saturday.

“It is a very complex effort,” Brigadier General Houston Cantwell told TIME on April 3 regarding rescues in hostile areas. “The most important piece of information is what is the location of the air crew. And that piece of information is so hard to get.”

Air Force personnel, such as the missing crew member, receive mandatory SERE (Survival, Evasion, Resistance, and Escape) training. Once located, experts say the individual would likely get a “rescue package” with equipment and personnel to aid their escape.

Major General Thomas Kunkel, speaking to TIME on Friday, said such a team typically has 10 to 20 members in a helicopter, possibly supported by an electronic jamming aircraft and an armored A-10 for ground cover.

During Friday’s rescue attempt, a U.S. Air Force UH-60 Black Hawk helicopter was struck by Iranian ground fire but managed to retreat safely to Iraq, according to U.S. and Israeli officials.

Israel has halted airstrikes in the area where the crew member is thought to be to assist the rescue operation, the New York Times reported.

Cantwell’s primary worry for this mission is the risk of capture, stating, “Iranians would want nothing more than to get their hands on one of our aviators.”

Iranian state media broadcast a video purportedly showing a surface-to-air missile destroying the A-10 on Friday, claiming it was downed between Qeshm and Hengam islands. U.S. officials have not explained how the aircraft was lost.