The damaged aircraft appear to be Lockheed Martin C-130 types, likely the MC-130J Commando II variant, valued at over $100 million, often used to infiltrate and exfiltrate troops into enemy territories for special operations.
Tehran: The United States executed a high-stakes rescue operation to evacuate two of its airmen, who were stuck deep inside Iran after an F-15E Strike Eagle was brought down by Iranian forces. But the mission came at a cost of the US sacrificing at least one, possibly two, of its own high-tech aircraft.
According to media reports, during the high-risk recovery efforts, the US military deployed several special operations transport aircraft at a makeshift desert airfield in Iran to retrieve the second downed American airman, a colonel. But the situation soon turned complicated, as at least one, maybe two, of these planes were rendered unusable after landing — either due to a technical malfunction or because they became stuck in soft desert terrain.
With Iran’s forces closing in, the US military had to summon additional aircraft to complete the rescue. A regional intelligence official told the Associated Press that American troops blew up two transport planes that they were forced to leave behind because of the mishap.
The Iranian state media also shared photos and videos of charred remains of what appears to be a fixed-wing transport, splayed out on a flat desert pan in Isfahan province. The aircraft appear to be Lockheed Martin C-130 types – likely the MC-130J Commando II variant, valued at over $100 million – often used to infiltrate and exfiltrate troops into enemy territories for special operations.
Remnants of some type of rotorcraft, likely Boeing MH-6 Little Birds, were also visible in the wreckage, which, according to a Flight Global report, can be deployed from inside the MC-130J to support special operations missions outside of the small helicopter’s flight range.
“The enemy’s flying objects were destroyed, and the US once again suffered a humiliating defeat,” the Iranian Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRCG) said.
Iran’s joint military command later said the US bombarded its aircraft to “prevent embarrassment for President Trump.”
Why The US Destroyed Its Own Planes
With Iranian forces closing in, US troops were forced to make the difficult call and blow up their planes. It was to avoid the risk of sensitive equipment falling into Iranian hands—a stranded protocol during high-risk missions in enemy territory. The US military followed a similar protocol in Abbottabad during the mission to kill Osama bin Laden.
These planes are equipped with classified technology, including advanced communication, navigation, and special operations systems – and protecting it takes precedence over the financial cost of losing equipment.
US Rescue Mission
American forces on Sunday rescued a wounded aviator whose Iran-downed plane fell behind enemy lines. US President Donald Trump said that the service member was “seriously wounded and really brave” and rescued from “deep inside the mountains” in an operation involving dozens of armed aircraft. He said a second crew member was rescued in “broad daylight” within hours of the crash.
A senior US administration official said that before locating the second aviator, the CIA spread word inside Iran that US forces had found him and were moving him out, creating confusion for Iranians. The official spoke on the condition of anonymity to discuss details not yet made public.
