Apr 07, 2026 16:29 pm IST

Opinion | 155 Aircraft For One Man - And Other Mysteries About US' Iran Rescue Op

When has it ever been the case that you need to deploy 155 aircraft on a Combat Search and Rescue (CSAR) Mission? Why were the two C-130s deployed when each has the capacity to carry up to 90 troops?

Col (Retd) Rajeev Agarwal Col (Retd) Rajeev Agarwal Columnist

Col (Retd) Rajeev Agarwal Columnist

US President Donald Trump's press interaction on April 6, Easter Monday, was awaited with great anticipation, with possibilities of announcements ranging from a possible ceasefire or a declaration of victory or even a reiteration of his threat to bomb Iran to the 'Stone Age' by knocking out its power plants and bridges. Flanked by the CIA Chief, the Secretary of War and the Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, he, however, chose to focus primarily on the massive operation launched to rescue the American officer from the downed F-15 Eagle aircraft, giving minute details of how the operation unfolded and how the US military lived up to its motto of never to leave any personnel behind enemy lines. Yes, he did reiterate his threat of bombing Iran, saying that "the entire country can be taken out in one night", with some analysts saying that this was perhaps a veiled threat at a possible nuclear strike into Iran.

The developments in the war zone in Iran, especially related to the downing of the F-15 aircraft and the subsequent rescue, however, raise serious questions. One, how did Iran successfully target the F-15 when its air defences had been completely destroyed? Two, why did a rescue mission require a package of more than 100 aircraft to support it? Why was the extraction site so near to the Isfahan nuclear site? 

Also, while examining the whole event, it is important to understand the configuration and role of the F-15 Eagle fighter aircraft.

The Shooting Down Of The Eagle

The entire episode owes its origin to the shooting down of an American F-15 Eagle on April 2; the aircraft was on a deep strike mission in Northwestern Iran (perhaps in Isfahan province) when it was shot by an Iranian missile. Initially, Iran claimed to have scored a hit on the stealth fighter F-35, but the debris later confirmed that it was an F-15E Strike Eagle from the Fighter Squadron deployed from RAF Lakenheath in the UK. This was the first time in 20 years that an American-manned fighter aircraft was shot down in enemy territory.

When the fighter came down, both........

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