U.S. Air Force loses three F-15E jets in friendly fire incident

United States Central Command confirmed that three U.S. Air Force F-15E Strike Eagle fighter jets were shot down over Kuwait late March 1 during what officials described as an apparent friendly fire incident while supporting Operation Epic Fury, according to an official command statement.

In a statement released from Tampa, Florida, U.S. Central Command said: “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.”

The command added that the aircraft were mistakenly engaged by Kuwaiti air defense systems while responding to ongoing attacks.

According to the statement: “During active combat—that included attacks from Iranian aircraft, ballistic missiles, and drones — the U.S. Air Force fighter jets were mistakenly shot down by Kuwaiti air defenses.”

Officials confirmed that all crew members survived the incident. The statement said: “All six aircrew ejected safely, have been safely recovered, and are in stable condition.”

U.S. Central Command also acknowledged Kuwait’s role in responding to the emergency, stating: “Kuwait has acknowledged this incident, and we are grateful for the efforts of the Kuwaiti defense forces and their support in this ongoing operation.”

Authorities emphasized that the cause of the incident remains under investigation. The command noted: “The cause of the incident is under investigation. Additional information will be released as it becomes available.”

The three aircraft involved were F-15E Strike Eagles, a dual-role fighter designed for deep strike and air superiority missions. The aircraft typically operates with a two-person crew consisting of a pilot and a weapons systems officer and is capable of conducting precision strikes while maintaining defensive air combat capability.

Friendly fire incidents occur when defensive systems mistakenly identify allied aircraft as hostile threats, often during high-tempo combat situations involving multiple incoming targets. Air defense operators must rapidly classify aerial tracks based on radar signatures, identification systems, and communications, which can become challenging during simultaneous missile and drone attacks.