"The so-called forward arming and refueling point (FARP) helped enable an elaborate mission that reportedly involved hundreds of special operations troops and other military personnel as well as dozens of aircraft."
"Navy SEAL Team 6 commandos eventually reached the airman, who evaded capture for more than a day and even hiked up a 7,000-foot ridge line, the report said."
"Additional planes had to be flown in to retrieve everyone, forcing the U.S. to destroy its own stranded C-130s to prevent them from falling into Iranian hands."
"While the mission was successful with no casualties reported so far beyond the F-15 airman's injuries, it followed the first combat losses of U.S. aircraft in the Iran war."
The U.S. military established an improvised airfield in Iran to rescue a downed F-15 weapons system officer. The mission involved hundreds of special operations personnel and numerous aircraft. It was complicated by mountainous terrain, the airman's injuries, and Iranian forces. Navy SEAL Team 6 commandos reached the airman after he evaded capture for over a day. Delays occurred when two C-130s became stuck, necessitating their destruction to prevent capture. The mission succeeded with no reported casualties beyond the airman's injuries, despite prior U.S. aircraft losses in the conflict.
Read at Fortune
Unable to calculate read time
Collection
[
|
...
]