The United States Air Force has reportedly deployed multiple Sikorsky MH-60G Pave Hawk combat search and rescue helicopters to southern Iran, as a major recovery mission appears to be underway following reports of a downed McDonnell Douglas F-15E Strike Eagle.
According to circulating reports, US Air Force helicopters and fixed-wing aircraft have been seen operating over Chaharmahal and Bakhtiari Province and nearby Kohgiluyeh and Boyer-Ahmad Province in southern Iran.
The reported mission is believed to be focused on locating and extracting the crew of an F-15E that allegedly crashed earlier in the day.
At the time of publication, these reports remain unconfirmed by official US or Iranian authorities.
MH-60G and HC-130J Aircraft Reportedly Spotted
A MH-60G Pave Hawk Combat Search and Rescue (CSAR) helicopter was reportedly spotted this morning over the Kohgiluyeh and Boyer-Ahmad area.
In addition, video footage reportedly filmed by residents appears to show a Lockheed Martin HC-130J Combat King II flying low over southern Iran.
The HC-130J is a dedicated combat rescue support aircraft commonly used in personnel recovery missions.
Its reported presence strongly suggests that combat search and rescue operations may be underway.
Additional reports indicate that Lockheed Martin F-35 Lightning II fighters and General Atomics MQ-9 Reaper drones have also been seen operating in the area, possibly providing air cover and ISR support.
Search Focused on Southern Iran Provinces
The search is reportedly concentrated across:
- Chaharmahal and Bakhtiari
- Kohgiluyeh and Boyer-Ahmad
- southwest Iran operational corridors
These regions are now reportedly being searched intensively as the recovery effort continues.
The terrain in these provinces is mountainous and difficult, which could complicate both aerial surveillance and ground extraction.
“Black Hawk Down” Reports Still Unconfirmed
Separate and highly fragmented reports are now circulating on Iraqi channels claiming that a Sikorsky UH-60 Black Hawk helicopter may also have been shot down.
Video footage reportedly shows a smoke plume allegedly linked to a downed helicopter.
However, these claims remain unconfirmed and highly murky.
No official evidence has yet been presented to verify whether the aircraft was indeed a Black Hawk or whether it was brought down by Iranian air defenses.
Because details remain fragmented, these reports should be treated with caution.
Reports of Captured F-15E Crew
State-linked Iranian media has reportedly claimed that the pilot and weapons systems officer of the downed F-15E have already been captured.
These claims have not been independently verified.
However, reports indicate that residents in southern Iran have found what appears to be a McDonnell-Douglas ACES II ejection seat, which is used by the F-15E Strike Eagle.
If authentic, this would lend some support to reports that the aircraft crashed and that at least one crew member may have ejected.
The current status and whereabouts of the pilot and weapons officer remain unknown.
There are unconfirmed claims that one or both may have been captured by the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC).
Situation Still Developing
At this stage, the situation remains fluid.
Key points — including the F-15E crash, the rescue mission, helicopter loss reports, and any captured crew — remain unverified.
The story is likely to evolve rapidly as more official information emerges.
