Trump: Rescue operation deploys 155 aircraft, forces the destruction of two transport planes

Source: Xinhua News Agency

WASHINGTON, April 6 (Xinhua) — U.S. President Trump said at a press conference at the White House on April 6 that the U.S. military deployed 155 aircraft in the action to rescue the second pilot of the downed F-15E fighter, and was also forced to destroy two transport aircraft that had become stuck in the sand.

Trump said that those taking part in the rescue operation included 4 bombers, 64 fighter jets, 48 aerial refueling tankers, 13 rescue aircraft, and other types of aircraft, involving as many as several hundred people. He said this was a decision “full of risk,” because “we could face the grave consequences of 100 people killed, rather than just one or two.”

Trump said that during the evacuation, the U.S. military used two large transport aircraft and carried a large amount of equipment, but the aircraft became stuck in the sand and could not move. The U.S. military was forced to destroy these two transport aircraft to prevent the advanced onboard air defense weapons and other equipment from being obtained by the Iranian side. Subsequently, as an emergency plan, the U.S. dispatched 3 lighter and faster aircraft to take the relevant personnel away.

The Joint Chiefs of Staff Chairman, Admiral Keane, acknowledged at the press conference that an A-10 attack aircraft had been hit by “enemy fire” during a previous rescue operation, and after the pilot left Iranian airspace, he carried out an ejection and was rescued. In addition, the helicopter that was to pick up the F-15E fighter pilot had also been subjected to fierce attacks; the aircraft was hit by bullets, and the crew suffered minor injuries.

Keane said the operation lasted for more than 50 hours. During the U.S. military’s process of rescuing the second pilot, Iran was also searching, and the U.S. launched multiple rounds of airstrikes against Iran’s search-and-arrest teams.

Iran’s air defense forces shot down a U.S. F-15E twin-seat fighter on April 3, and the two pilots bailed out and escaped. On that day, U.S. search-and-rescue aircraft and helicopters entered Iranian territory, found and rescued one pilot. During that time, two U.S. helicopters were hit, but managed to withdraw. Iran also hit an A-10 attack aircraft participating in the search and rescue in the airspace near the Strait of Hormuz. On the evening of April 4, U.S. Eastern Time, Trump announced that the U.S. had rescued the second pilot from Iran.

Endless information and precise analysis—on the Sina Finance app