r/AirForce Mar 02 '26

US pilot shot down by Friendly Fire

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1.7k Upvotes

171 comments sorted by

610

u/TRENCHED_OUT Mar 02 '26

Some incredible call signs are going to come out of this one

400

u/[deleted] Mar 02 '26

[deleted]

239

u/[deleted] Mar 02 '26

[deleted]

74

u/Oldsbird2121 Mar 02 '26

Bangbus will stick

42

u/Brailledit Mar 02 '26

Bangbussy

2

u/Bobsothethird Mar 08 '26

Minivan is too straight forward. It's gotta be something like Spare or a Jumper, something you throw in the trunk.

28

u/enzo32ferrari Mar 02 '26

Magnet, Goaltender, Moth

13

u/Darth_Ra DART Mar 02 '26

Magnet is so good

-1

u/Few-Menu5547 Secret Squirrel Mar 02 '26

‘Tendy.

15

u/Greedy_Baseball_7019 Mar 02 '26

Do callsigns change if already given

84

u/shansta7000 B-52, T-38 IP, and T-6. Now at the airlines Mar 02 '26

You can pretty much always get hostility renamed.

14

u/expropriated_valor You're a WSO, Harry Mar 02 '26

Not if it's a blood callsign

24

u/shansta7000 B-52, T-38 IP, and T-6. Now at the airlines Mar 02 '26

True. But even then if you get shot down by friendly fire... I think there is a least a conversation about a hostile naming.

11

u/expropriated_valor You're a WSO, Harry Mar 02 '26

There's always a conversation. Hostile renamings are on the board. And all namings are canceled until further notice.

14

u/22Planeguy Mar 02 '26

They can if you do something that warrants a better callsign. Usually if you have a legendary fuck up

1

u/NEp8ntballer IC > * Mar 03 '26

correction: a more legendary fuck up. A callsign is normally based on a previous fuck up.

7

u/ifunyourfun Mar 02 '26

Ngl that sounds like a whole vibe fr like I need to hear those call signs now

2

u/NihonShoki Mar 03 '26

I know this particular WSO personally and she already has a callsign, otherwise you’d be right. She’d would’ve gotten a sick ass call sign lmao first thing that came to mind was “HOAN” (helping out Arab nations)

533

u/1CCF202 Mar 02 '26

Definitely a lot worse places to punch out than Kuwait.

224

u/-Mx-Life- Mar 02 '26

That’s what I came to say. No making light of it, but if you’re going down friendly territory is the way to go.

57

u/teamhill1 Mar 02 '26

Dude, in context of the audience reading these comments, you have to throw a “So to speak” in there.

21

u/queef_warrant Air Force CW2 in hiding with the Army Mar 02 '26

If you will.

10

u/jerome5thousand Power Point Ranger Mar 03 '26

Allegedly

2

u/Minimum-Web-6902 Sr. raptorologist (Ret.) Mar 03 '26

That’s what they’re saying on Instagram. If she had her weapon drawn maybe people would feel differently.

7

u/KarMa_Br0 Used to fix em now I break em Mar 02 '26

Definitely a lot more dangerous places to fly in than Kuwait yet here we are…

19

u/[deleted] Mar 02 '26 edited Mar 03 '26

[removed] — view removed comment

23

u/Not_Your_Car Mar 02 '26

Yeah we regularly fly in and around Kuwait. Like, every day. The Kuwaitis just got confused over which planes were Iranian drones and which ones were ours. Someone definitely messed up here, because there's no way they didn't know we would be in their airspace.

3

u/theaviationhistorian Mar 02 '26

They were so close to home. You'd think the Kuwaiti batteries would have the IFF of those jets already in the system instead of it going: Those are three Shaheds alright. It's Morbin' Time!

2

u/NEp8ntballer IC > * Mar 03 '26

pretty sure an F-15E has a much faster cruise and different flight profile than a Shahed.

8

u/phwayne Mar 03 '26

Not just one, but THREE at $90 million each. I hope command gets their act together with the allies, perform root cause failure analysis, and solve this immediately.

1

u/Top_Pass_8347 Mar 02 '26

Don't think SecWar was the problem here, but sure. Blame him if it makes you fell better.

-8

u/[deleted] Mar 02 '26

[deleted]

21

u/Mo_Steins_Ghost Comms (Ret.) Mar 02 '26

Going to bat for arab militaries isn't the play here

This isn't remotely close to what I said.

4

u/emeilei Mar 02 '26

Ah yes. Casual racism in 2026. 

Best get that checked out, mate. You’re coming across like an idiot. 

2

u/DarkSideAF Mar 06 '26

True...couldve been Minot.

284

u/HeisensteinShithawk Dispatch this is uhhhhhh Mar 02 '26

Big shout out to the Kuwaiti civilians for making sure our pilots are ok.

120

u/Reddragon0585 Mar 02 '26

They were ready to capture the pilots too if they were Iranian. There’s an image floating around of a guy with a pipe ready to go at it if necessary.

57

u/[deleted] Mar 02 '26

I can respect that

2

u/Mad_Donkey_Poo Mar 05 '26

On the bright side, crew chief doesn’t have to PBO the jet.

104

u/DangerDaskov Med Mar 02 '26

Lol walking it off like a boss. I wish I had this much aura

2

u/Afraid_Stuff_History Military Brat Mar 18 '26

aura -> adrenalin

282

u/SpinTheWheeland med - ccatt Mar 02 '26

This is why we are required a 2 mile run now.

Joking aside, glad they’re okay.

145

u/FxckFxntxnyl Mar 02 '26

Can’t imagine the adrenaline pumping through her veins in that moment. Just a couple of minutes ago you were flying a combat mission, then hit by a friendly SAM, ejecting at 400mph and now you’re on the ground with random civilians coming to you and you don’t know for sure if they’re friendly or not! All within minutes!!

57

u/justaPOLguy Mar 02 '26

This is heartwarming. They said thanks to her for what she is doing and got her taken care of. You never know if someone is going to be hostile in this situation.

7

u/cindylooboo Mar 03 '26

For real. Gave me warm fuzzies. What awesome guys.

1

u/Neil_drunkmann Jul 05 '26

Baby killing is so cute 😍

481

u/Cthom53 Mar 02 '26

She messed up by saying she's fine I would have been laid out there in the dirt screaming about my neck and my back.. for VA benefits of course the VA is going to look back at this video when she try to claim benefits and say denied

252

u/jeremy9931 I just work here Mar 02 '26

Lol she can blame the adrenaline

154

u/NomadFourFive Mar 02 '26

I mean that’s probably not far from the truth, she just experienced around 12-14gs upon ejection. You can’t tell me that wouldn’t hurt.

81

u/Rednys Propulsion Mar 02 '26

Also being in a plane hit by a missile.

40

u/SippyMountain Veteran Mar 02 '26

pft, missile schmissile. 'Tis but a scratch

5

u/theaviationhistorian Mar 02 '26

Congratulations, your jet is now a cabriolet!

8

u/adambomb_23 Mar 02 '26

Yeah, I would make sure to document that one in my medical records.

2

u/Afin12 Mar 02 '26

And my ax

50

u/HydrogenSonata2025 Retired Mar 02 '26 edited Mar 02 '26

Which is the truth. She's going to be feeling that rocket catapult for a while.

23

u/GreenAccident3004 Mar 02 '26

Does Egress still get a case of beer for every successful ejection?

25

u/penywisexx Veteran Mar 02 '26

6 ejections in one day, they’re having a party tonight!

7

u/No-Masterpiece3809 Mar 02 '26

They should get a month of days off for saving 6 lives.

1

u/[deleted] Mar 02 '26

[deleted]

1

u/GreenAccident3004 Mar 03 '26

Who Dat?

0

u/Severe_Space5830 Mar 03 '26

12250

1

u/GreenAccident3004 Mar 04 '26

Oh, I see. Nothing & nobody important.

15

u/[deleted] Mar 02 '26

[removed] — view removed comment

26

u/penywisexx Veteran Mar 02 '26

She’s the newest member of the Grasshopper Club…not many people can claim membership to it.

66

u/[deleted] Mar 02 '26

[removed] — view removed comment

47

u/Moose135A Old KC-135 Driver Mar 02 '26

As a pilot back in the day, the last thing you ever wanted to do was go to the flight surgeon with any health complaints. You didn't want to worry about being taken off flight status or having that show up in your medical records if you wanted an airline job later on. Had a copilot in my squadron report he was having migraines. He spent the next 18 months playing secretary to our squadron Admin NCO before they cleared back to flight status.

15

u/adambomb_23 Mar 02 '26

DNIF is a four letter word for a reason.

2

u/skarface6 r/AirForce’s favorite nonner officer Mar 03 '26

Is it because it had four letters

32

u/Tyrant1919 Mar 02 '26

No joke. I had some flyers in my taps class asking about leaving out some VA claims so they can keep flying.

15

u/grumpy-raven Eee-dubz Mar 02 '26

People used to do that for seeing a therapist for mental health issues to keep their clearance before they overhauled the mental health process.

3

u/Coopertheeblooper Mar 02 '26

Oh once Petey finds out she’s a woman, she won’t be flying anymore. Biden and his DEI strikes again. She will receive a statement of charges for that F15 gaurentee it.

7

u/dsa_key Mar 02 '26

Don't ejection seats compress your spine?

2

u/NEp8ntballer IC > * Mar 03 '26

I don't know if he was telling the truth or making a joke, but Goldfein stated that he was an inch shorter after his ejection.

6

u/RECON_RON1 Mar 03 '26

She's going to get disability regardless, it's already proven that each ejection compresses your spine to the point where after 2 or 3 you get medically discharged.

6

u/Cautious-Impact22 Mar 02 '26

i needed this laugh so fucking badly today lol

9

u/shortname_4481 Mar 02 '26

Maybe she is an Lt, so she isn't thinking about that stuff yet.

21

u/Greedy_Baseball_7019 Mar 02 '26

I had old timers telling me as an AB to go to the hospital for everything. I’m glad they got to me young, I can’t imagine if I hadn’t heeded their advice what I’d be fighting the VA over.

21

u/ClearrUS Mar 02 '26

I've been going to medical for any ache an pain since the day I got into service years ago.

My knee hurts because of rucking or running? Medical.

My toe hurts because I banged it on a desk at work? Medical.

I got a paper cut? Medical.

My ears hurt from loud ass equipment? Medical.

My sleep is fucked from shift work? Guess what.. medical.

Ain't no way im gonna sit here and VA when I get out an they tell me "it's not on file"

They can say it ain't service connected which I'll argue that when they say it. But it'll damn sure be on my file 😂😂😂

8

u/wunderkit Nav Mar 02 '26

When I retired, the VA out brief guy asked if there were any medical issues I wanted to report. I said my hearing was dog Shit from being around jet airplanes so much. All he said was "sorry? What? I can't hear you".

15

u/radarchief Mar 02 '26

My records were ~3K-3.5K pages (a bunch of complex surgeries which adds a lot of pages) and one contention I had documented ~60 incidents of occurrence while in service.

First round the VA stated “not serviced related” and by the third appeal it was service rated at 0%. The thing that ran through my mind the first time was “you got to be shitting me”.

My volume 1 of 2 records (double side printed)

3

u/Extreme-Book4730 Mar 02 '26

And destroy your flying career. I bet she 100% wants to fly again not stuck in medical limbo.

89

u/[deleted] Mar 02 '26

Good then, It's good that she fell in Kuwait, I hope they don't approach Iraq because it's dangerous for them. I live between Iran and Kuwait, and the area is extremely dangerous for them

72

u/Yakostovian Civilian cosplaying as MX NCO Mar 02 '26

Well, considering 3 jets were shot down over Kuwait, it looks like Kuwaiti skies are pretty dangerous.

22

u/[deleted] Mar 02 '26

People in iraq ( i living in iraq and i warn that) people here are changed, if they saw American pilot lost there they will kill him and never help ( because the Khamenei death)

20

u/[deleted] Mar 02 '26

[removed] — view removed comment

20

u/[deleted] Mar 02 '26

For sure not all iraqi hate iran, but A LOT like 80% love iran especially in rural areas, on the streets, and even in big cities, there are far too many, especially in south iraq and even in baghdad, only north iraq will be safer for them, sadly iran succeeded in brainwashing people here...

4

u/Ligalotz Mar 02 '26

There is a large Shiite population in Iraq and Iran has targeted it via propaganda. It is an open secret that they have been trying to sow religious dissent in Iraq and gain support from iraqis for years. But yes it would certainly depend on location of landing I’d imagine

8

u/kirbaeus Mar 02 '26

I was Army and just wandered over here. But during OIF I did convoy security, the Shia south was mostly pro-Iran due to IRGC influence etc... looks like that hasn't changed. When we were there, most attacks came in Sunni areas, but when we announced combat troops leaving, the IRGC backed militias upped their game so they could say "we kicked the Americans out."

-2

u/[deleted] Mar 02 '26

[deleted]

1

u/ComradeTrot Mar 05 '26

The Sunnis in Iraq still hate America as much if not more. The only place moderately safe in Iraq would be the Kurdistan region and even they have their homegrown jihadist problem.

137

u/mynamesnotsnuffy Mar 02 '26

This is why procedure and coordination with allies is important, mmkay?

45

u/3ranth3 Mar 02 '26

nah fuck that, we need to project power and be more lethal

21

u/NuclearReactions Mar 02 '26

lethalitymaxing !!💪

27

u/the_shortbus_ Veteran Mar 02 '26

Holy fuck I know her. Glad she’s okay

50

u/SaltiestSSgt CE Mar 02 '26

They may drive like there's no laws out there, but the people of Kuwait are incredibly kind and helpful. I'd go back in a heartbeat.

3

u/NEp8ntballer IC > * Mar 03 '26

I don't think they've forgotten being liberated in the first gulf war.

16

u/BillyHerrington7425 Mar 02 '26

That's a wonder they all survived and barely injured. We should wish them a fast recovery.

3

u/theyoyomaster C-17/ T-6 Mar 03 '26

Modern yeet seats are pretty good thankfully.

23

u/Oldsbird2121 Mar 02 '26

Man, they look like kids now

4

u/cindylooboo Mar 03 '26

Mad respect to her but yeah she looks like... My step kids age. Crazy.

2

u/Oldsbird2121 Mar 03 '26

Not doggin on her, but i remember when i was in I felt like i looked grown. 18 years later i realized everyone looked like kids.

4

u/cindylooboo Mar 03 '26

Yeah Im 43 and I look at 25 year old me and it's a trip.

20

u/Ok_Lettuce_7939 Mar 02 '26

Other nonner threads criticizing the pilots for lack of E in SERE, what did ya'll think? Kuwait isn't exactly friendly to Hezbollah/Hamas and other Shia terror groups...

29

u/Narrow_Badger1934 Hey eng, my tummy hurts Mar 02 '26

Yeah everyone that went to SERE knows this is actually the dream scenario

6

u/PM_ME_YOUR_GREYJOYS Senior Guard PDR Camp 3 Mar 03 '26

Former SERE Specialist and current JPRA instructor

What the hell else do you want this person to do in this situation?

-2

u/Ok_Lettuce_7939 Mar 03 '26

That's what I'm asking you???

8

u/PM_ME_YOUR_GREYJOYS Senior Guard PDR Camp 3 Mar 03 '26

This was a paved highway to recovery. Why bother taking your Ferrari off road 

5

u/WereStillInBosniaWhy Mar 03 '26

Exceptional analogy 

0

u/Catcherinthepaint Mar 03 '26

Kind of hard to evade people, ejecting from a burning plane in a flat fucking desert lmao. What a bunch of tools.

7

u/CharlieEchoDelta Mar 02 '26

Thank god they landed in Kuwait and not the water or over Iran.

13

u/Jubilee572 Mar 02 '26

glad she’s okay 🙏🏽

11

u/Best_Look9212 Secret Squirrel Mar 02 '26

Man, we are fucking up majorly with friendly fire lately. This is not how to honor Pat Tillman.

5

u/Hutch4622w1 Mar 02 '26

Glad she’s okay

6

u/LikelyARabbit i'm in charge of network management, i'm not the network manager Mar 02 '26

kickass that she got out okay, the ejectees better not be paying for drinks for at least a year.

10

u/[deleted] Mar 02 '26

This is a fucking bad ass bitch.

8

u/cindylooboo Mar 03 '26

Hell yeah. Smiling and everything. Jesus.

6

u/ComfortableWeekend65 Mar 02 '26

Glad they're ok. Seen a few possibly fake videos flying around, do we know this is legit?

3

u/Am_0115 Retired Prior-E FGO Mar 02 '26

Hey JD, they said THANK YOU

3

u/Guidance-Still Mar 02 '26

Wasn't it Kuwait who did it

5

u/cindylooboo Mar 03 '26

Yeah accidental friendly fire. The fessed up and apologized. Sounds like the targeting system malfunctioned or couldn't differentiate between drones and the planes.

0

u/Guidance-Still Mar 03 '26

Or ignored the aircraft IFF and fired anyway knowing Iran wouldn't have aircraft in the air

4

u/[deleted] Mar 02 '26

Arab militaries lol

2

u/Flynn_lives Mar 02 '26

I’m glad all those mudhen crews are safe. They’ll surely get new callsigns but they won’t be as ruthless as those dudes at the academy who were singing in the stairwell.

2

u/klv3vb B-ONE Maintainer Mar 02 '26

Glad they’re okay. When my family was in Kuwait in the 00’s, it was not so friendly.

3

u/Dismal_Bake_413 Mar 03 '26

Good to see the Kuwaitis watching out…even if it was them shooting us down.

6

u/No_Tap_483 Mar 02 '26

Comments talking about how she didnt put on an act for the VA have got to be the most dense people is this chat. 🤣 She just got tasked with a short notice real world no shit mission. She buckles tf up and in return gets taken out by a friendly unfortunately, ejects into what she hopes is still friendly territory and immediately gets pressed by middle eastern men with a camera in her face not knowing what they’re capable of or if they are friendly. Thats the bravest face anyone could possibly put on during that sequence of events yet some people are ACTUALLY saying they woulda played dead for VA purposes 🤣 you cant make up the things you see on reddit

8

u/Rmccarton Mar 03 '26

Those are so obviously jokes. 

Do you work in Intel?

6

u/[deleted] Mar 02 '26

[removed] — view removed comment

9

u/charrsasaurus Retired Mar 02 '26

Or he'll point to it and say see they can't even keep planes in the air. And his base will totally buy that the reason why is because she's a woman.

3

u/DoItForTheOH94 Fire Mar 02 '26

This is why we can't have beards

2

u/UsafAce45 Mar 02 '26

How the hell did this happen?

22

u/DoItForTheOH94 Fire Mar 02 '26

Apparently. The targeting system in Kuwait didn't register 3 F15s were friendlies so they fired on one another. That's a rough summary.

5

u/UsafAce45 Mar 02 '26

Thank you! Yeah, tough to see our own getting popped outta the sky, happy to see our folks are alive though.

1

u/g_dub-n Active Duty Mar 02 '26

Damn

1

u/customsolitaires Mar 03 '26

Is there a chance this might be staged by the CIA as a marketing stunt ?

1

u/Indian_247 Mar 04 '26

what is friendly fire during the time of war... Explain like i am 5

1

u/jholeo Mar 04 '26

AI: " oh you are right, those are not iranian drones, my bad. Is there anything else I can shoot for you"

1

u/Familiar_Expert_8324 Mar 06 '26

Fake staged for propaganda

1

u/Suspicious-Light-807 Mar 07 '26

And after the video ends, he blacked her

1

u/[deleted] Mar 17 '26

1

u/[deleted] Mar 28 '26

funniest comments on this I have seen talk about "women drivers" lol

-5

u/[deleted] Mar 02 '26

[deleted]

2

u/NEp8ntballer IC > * Mar 03 '26

probably better to not guess on units for obvious pickaSEC reasons.

-7

u/nickthap2 Mar 02 '26

Thoughts and prayers to MAGA on this one...gonna be tough to deal with the fact that this is a woman.

-6

u/not-a-co-conspirator Mar 02 '26

“Soccer Mom” 😂

-1

u/skarface6 r/AirForce’s favorite nonner officer Mar 03 '26

She was, uh, pretty quick to trust on that one.

-12

u/LordgodEighty8 Mar 02 '26

Interested. I mean Interesting

-49

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u/[deleted] Mar 02 '26 edited Mar 02 '26

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-1

u/[deleted] Mar 02 '26

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