Kuwaiti air defenses shot three American F-15E Strike Eagles down shortly after 11 p.m. Eastern time on March 1 in an “apparent friendly fire incident,” U.S. Central Command said.
The American fighter jets were operating as part of the Operation Epic Fury, the U.S. attacks on the Iranian regime. CENTCOM said that all the six Americans were recovered in stable condition after ejecting from their planes.
According to the U.S. Air Force, each of those fighter jets costs $31.1 million as of April 2019. That would be nearly $40 million each, or a combined $120 million, in January 2026 dollars, per the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics.
“During active combat that included attacks from Iranian aircraft, ballistic missiles and drones, the U.S. Air Force fighter jets were mistakenly shot down by Kuwaiti air defenses,” CENTCOM said.
“Kuwait has acknowledged this incident, and we are grateful for the efforts of the Kuwaiti defense forces and their support in this ongoing operation,” it said. It added that there is an investigation of the cause of the incident.
