Washington, MINA – A US fighter pilot who was evacuated after his F-15 was shot down over Iran told intelligence officials that he saw a highly unusual formation of Iranian drones before ejecting, sparking debate within the US intelligence community about whether Tehran had used a previously unknown drone swarm capability.
CNN, citing four sources familiar with the matter, said on Tuesday, the pilot reported seeing several Iranian drones hovering overhead and moving in a coordinated pattern that looked like jellyfish.
One source described the pilot’s report as “completely out of place,” while another source told CNN that the pilot described seeing a “drone minefield” in the air.
The report said US intelligence officials remain divided over what the pilot saw and whether the formation played a role in the downing of the aircraft.
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The F-15 fighter jet, carrying a pilot and a weapons systems officer, was shot down over Iran in April during the war. US forces launched a search and rescue operation after the two crew members ejected.
According to CNN, it remains unclear whether the crew of the second flight witnessed the same drone formation. []
Mi’raj News Agency (MINA)
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