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The United States Central Command has confirmed that three McDonnell Douglas F-15E Strike Eagle fighter jets were downed earlier today in a friendly fire incident in Kuwait. American forces had been carrying out an Operation known as ‘Epic Fury’ amid escalating regional geopolitical tensions over the weekend.
This morning, photos and videos of the aircraft spiralling to the ground began circulating online and on social media, prompting considerable speculation as to how and why these fighter jets were downed amid the US’s ongoing military action in nearby Iran. It has now been confirmed that Kuwait, an American ally in the region, was responsible for the shootdowns, which came down under friendly fire due to mistakes on Kuwait’s end.
Safe & Sound On The Ground
All in all, three McDonnell Douglas F-15E Strike Eagle fighter jets belonging to the United States Air Force are reported to have been downed by the friendly fire incident earlier this morning, which took place at 7:03 am local time (11:03 pm EST on March 1, 2026). To this end, US Central Command (CENTOM) has confirmed that “during active combat, (…) the USAF fighter jets were mistakenly shot down by Kuwaiti air defenses.”
The F-15E is designed for a two-person crew: one pilot and one weapon systems officer. This means that six USAF service personnel were involved in the shootdowns, with CENTCOM confirming that all of them “ejected safely, have been safely recovered, and are in stable condition.” CENTCOM went on to say that “additional information will be released as it becomes available,” and also explained that Kuwait was aware of what occurred:
” Kuwait has acknowledged this incident, and we are grateful for the efforts of the Kuwaiti defense forces and their support in this ongoing operation. The cause of the incident is under investigation.”
What Else Do We Know?
Given the high-profile nature of this incident, with multi-million-dollar fighter jets having been accidentally downed by one of the US’s main allies in the region, it has naturally resulted in a great deal of media attention. On this front, the BBC was able to verify the footage that has emerged of the incident as having been filmed near Kuwait City, the Middle Eastern country’s capital, on the edge of a western area that is known as Al Jahra.
Elsewhere, The Independent reported that a separate video of the incident showed at least one member of air crew parachuting to the ground, and noted that the Kuwaiti military had also released its own official statement concerning the friendly fire shootdown. Indeed, a report posted on the X (formerly known as Twitter) account of the Kuwait Army confirmed that “the relevant authorities immediately initiated search and rescue procedures.”
The Kuwait Army, quoting a spokesperson for the country’s Ministry of Defense, went on to say that “the crews were evacuated and transferred to the hospital to check on their health status and provide the necessary medical care.” The Kuwaiti military is now said to be working in conjunction with its US counterparts on an investigation into the incident, whereby its causes will be determined, and the necessary follow-up measures will be taken.
How Much Does An F-15 Cost In 2025?
The flyaway costs of the F-15EX are now around $94 million, including EPAWSS, and it has a lower flight hour cost than the F-35.
All About The F-15E
The McDonnell Douglas F-15E Strike Eagle is a derivative of the older F-15 Eagle model. The latter was produced from 1972 to 1997, entering service in 1976, with almost 1,200 units across all variants (A/B/C/D/J/DJ) rolling off the factory line. When the time came to upgrade the jet, the F-15E Strike Eagle was designed, and, after first flying in 1986, it entered service in 1989, with 435 units across all variants (E/I/S/K/SG) being produced.
According to Slash Gear, one of the key differences between the F-15 and the F-15E, which continued to be produced by Boeing until 2017 after its merger with McDonnell Douglas in 1997, was the fact that the latter was built with a two-person cockpit. This enabled the jet to accommodate a dedicated weapon systems officer, allowing it to excel at air-to-surface strike missions at any hour of the day and regardless of weather conditions.
