US F-15E Shoots Down 'Hostile' Predator-Like Drone in Syria

F-15 shot down a drone that was deemed hostile.

A U.S. aircraft shot down an unidentified drone deemed hostile toward coalition forces in At Tanf, Syria, a spokesman for Operation Inherent Resolve said Thursday.

The drone, similar in size to a U.S. MQ-1 Predator, was suspected to be "pro-regime" and was shot down Thursday by an F-15E Strike Eagle.

www.military.com...

The drone released several munitions, and it was a clear attack on coalition forces. The drone's attack failed, but it was shot down.

The drone released one of several munitions it was carrying -- and the action clearly wasn't "just a warning shot," Dillon said.

"It was clearly meant as an attack on coalition forces," he told reporters over video conference at the Pentagon. "They made very clear who they were trying to fire upon [but] were unsuccessful."

The drone "showed hostile intent, had munitions on it, and we shot it down," he said. The "pilot of that drone could be considered a threat as well."

a reply to: seasonal

My guess would be Russian. (I'm sure Zaphod will chime in soon)

Seeing as there is no loss of life, this should be written off as proxy losses.

a reply to: CriticalStinker

Iranian built, probably Syrian operated. First time since 1968 that US forces were attacked by foreign aircraft.

originally posted by: Zaphod58
a reply to: CriticalStinker

Iranian built, probably Syrian operated. First time since 1968 that US forces were attacked by foreign aircraft.

Did it look like the predator because of the drone they captured from us?

If so their reverse engineering is impressive.

a reply to: CriticalStinker

They captured an RQ-170, not a Predator. And knowing the state of Iran's technical capabilities, I'd guess it was probably something more like an RC plane with a few pounds of Semtex strapped to it.

a reply to: CriticalStinker

There are a number of UAVs that look like the Predator. In this case, it was probably a Shahed 129. They've been seen over Iraq and Syria, and have been used to target ISIS.

a reply to: ShadeWolf

Keep underestimating them. They've done a hell of a lot with almost no resources over the years.

originally posted by: Zaphod58
a reply to: ShadeWolf

Keep underestimating them. They've done a hell of a lot with almost no resources over the years.

Yea, that doesn't really look like a rc plane with symtex strapped to it.

a reply to: CriticalStinker

Not only are they still flying their F-14s, that they haven't been able to get parts for since 1981, they've upgraded them, and according to reports, redone them to use some Russian, and some Western equipment. That's a hell of a feat right there, for anyone.

On a totally unrelated note to Iran, this marks only the second ever air to air kill for an F-15E, and the first using missiles. The first kill was an Iraqi helicopter. When the crew couldn't lock a missile on to it, they dropped a 2,000 lb laser guided bomb on it while it hovered.

a reply to: Zaphod58

To the first part of your response, this happens to countries with embargoes on them. Look at Cuba while the government didn't exhibit the end aerospace ingenuity, the people became very resourceful.

While Iran has undergone various social and government changes (many of them thanks to the western world), they still stand out as a very technologicaly advanced country in your region.

To the second part, thanks for sharing that. That was the coolest tid bit I've heard all day.

Must have been one hell of a type A personality to resort to the laser guided bomb when lock on didn't work.

a reply to: Zaphod58

17 January 1991

USAF F-15C vs. IRAF MiG-29

The first air-air kills of the war occurred when two USAF F-15Cs shot down two Iraqi MiG-29s.[2]

USAF F-15Cs vs. IRAF Mirage F1s

Later on the same night, an F-15C scored a double-kill against two Mirages with AIM-7 Sparrow missile. His wingman scored another kill on a third Mirage F1, for a total of three kills in the dogfight.[2]

USN F/A-18s vs. IRAF MiG-25s

On the first night of the war, two F/A-18s from the carrier USS Saratoga were flying outside of Baghdad when two Iraqi MiG-25PDs interceptors from the 96th Squadron engaged them. In the beyond-visual-range (BVR), one of the Iraqi MiGs, piloted by Lieutenant Colonel Zuhair Dawood, fired an R-40 missile, shooting down one of the F/A-18's as it was travelling Mach 0.92. The pilot, Lieutenant Commander Scott Speicher, was killed. It is widely believed he died upon the impact of the missile.[2]

a reply to: seasonal

I said that they were attacked BY foreign aircraft, meaning ground forces. The last time that US forces suffered a casualty in an attack by a foreign aircraft was in 1953 in the Korean War. The last time that US forces were attacked by foreign aircraft was in 1966 or 1968 when a radar station was attacked in Laos, with no casualties.

Air to air combat is a different category.

I guess shiite happens when uninvited armed foreign elements cross borders and remain there training and supply belligerent forces ravishing a country. Luckily those uninvited guests got the balls and their word to make sure attacks on them do not succeed.

a reply to: Zaphod58

Due to air superiority I'm guessing. They let no hostiles fly around ground troops.

a reply to: Crumbles

Exactly. That's one of their huge points of pride. They haven't allowed opposing air forces to get near our ground troops in 50 years.

originally posted by: Zaphod58
a reply to: CriticalStinker

Iranian built, probably Syrian operated. First time since 1968 that US forces were attacked by foreign aircraft.

I apologise if I am ignorant and it is obvious (but then again, you remain ignorant until you ask, right?), but would that then be Soviet built Viet Cong operated MIG-21s?

(I ask because it might not be obvious as at the time the US also had troops directly involved in fighting in Cambodia, Laos, Korea, and the Philippines)

originally posted by: Zaphod58
a reply to: ShadeWolf

Keep underestimating them. They've done a hell of a lot with almost no resources over the years.

Except the drones they down and reverse engineer.

a reply to: EternalSolace

Which isn't nearly as easy to do as people think it is, even with a UAV.

a reply to: DupontDeux

It was a radar station in Laos, Lima 85.

On 12 January, CIA lookouts reported a four-plane formation heading in the direction of Site 85. Two aircraft split off, but the other two continued to Phou Phathi, where they bombed, strafed, and fired rockets at the ridgeline. Several local Hmong were killed. The CIA officers and the local Air Force forward air controller (FAC) fired on the slow-moving Antonov-2 Colt biplanes and called in an Air America helicopter in the area to assist. The helicopter, a Bell 212, the civilian version of the Huey, proved faster than the Colts. The Air America pilot flew alongside the Soviet-made biplanes and fired a submachinegun at them through the door. Both aircraft were shot down, and the rudder from one was taken to Longtiang, an Air America base, as a souvenir.

www.cia.gov...

a reply to: Zaphod58

Do they not travel in pairs or have a second in an AO to destroy or kill an enemy retrieval team in the unlikely case of a down or successful hack?


Off topic as well, but how did Iran even get an F-14?