Downed US pilot recalls seeing Iranian drones in ‘jellyfish’ formation before F-15 shootdown

A US warplane pilot rescued after being shot down over Iran in April described witnessing multiple Iranian drones hovering in a synchronized formation resembling a jellyfish before ejecting from his aircraft, according to a report.

The F-15 pilot shared the account with intelligence officials during a debriefing following the incident, immediately sparking intense debate within the US intelligence community that remains unresolved, CNN reported, citing unnamed sources.

If accurate, the formation — described as “multiple drones interconnected and moving as one with smaller drones below the bigger drones like legs” — would represent a significant advance in Iranian drone capabilities, with one source calling it “real alien sh*t.”

The F-15 carried a crew of two. The pilot was rescued hours after ejecting, while the weapons system officer evaded Iranian capture in the mountains for more than a day before being rescued.

A second aircraft, an A-10, was downed during the rescue operation, though that pilot ejected outside Iranian airspace. The downing marked the first time a US aircraft was shot down over Iran during the US-Israeli war of aggression against Iran.

The drone formation may have enabled the shootdown rather than directly causing it, according to two sources.

Intelligence officials have disagreed on how to interpret the pilot’s account, noting he was concussed in the crash.

This was his second time being shot down during the Iran war; he had previously been downed in an alleged friendly fire incident by Kuwaiti forces early in the war.

The cause of the F-15 shootdown remains under investigation, with NBC News previously reporting the jet was “probably struck by a Chinese-made shoulder-launched missile.”

Iran Army hits invading F-15 fighter jet over southern coast

The Iranian Armed Forces manage to target an invading F-15 fighter jet in the skies over the country’s southern coast.

The technical term for the capability described — “one-to-many meshed networking” — allows a single operator to command multiple drones simultaneously.

While US intelligence had not previously assessed Iran possessed this capability, there is a trail of reports indicating Iran had been receiving assistance in developing its drone technology from China and Russia. Russia and China are believed to already have the capability.

This comes as over the past few decades, Iran has made remarkable advancements in its kamikaze drone (loitering munition) program, firmly establishing itself as the leading player in the world in unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV) technology.

Driven by a commitment to domestic innovation and a focus on developing cutting-edge defense technologies, Iran’s drone program emphasizes self-sufficiency.

Iranian officials have consistently highlighted their capability to neutralize any threat using homegrown drone systems.

Globally, Iran is recognized as one of the leading drone powers, with several reports ranking it among the top five, or even the top three, alongside the United States and China.

Some analysts even rank the Islamic Republic above the United States and China, referring to its remarkable progress despite decades of illegal sanctions and economic siege.

Drone warfare expert Emma Bates told CNN that “It will spend huge, huge dollars, like a lot of blood and treasure, protecting ourselves from something that can coordinate like that,” warning of the threat posed by meshed networking.

“If it can coordinate itself into a recognizable shape and maintain that shape, and if it’s got explosives on board, and if it is holding resources in reserve to attack whatever the first volley didn’t destroy — that’s a very capable approach,” she added.

Press TV’s website can also be accessed at the following alternate addresses:

www.presstv.ir