Operation

Bleeding from injuries incurred ejecting from his F-15E Strike Eagle fighter and climbing a craggy mountain to escape, the U.S. Air Force Weapon Systems Officer (WSO) hid out in a crevice as both rescuers and Iranians frantically searched for him. Monday afternoon, President Donald Trump and Air Force Gen. Dan Caine, chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, offered new details about the complex and dangerous missions to rescue the WSO and pilot – call signs DUDE44 Bravo and DUDE44 Alpha – whose Strike Eagle had been shot down April 3, the first loss of crewed aircraft to enemy fire during Epic Fury. While they offered the government’s take on events, other details emerged that we will address later in this story.

These rescue missions involved hundreds of troops, scores of aircraft and diversion operations over more than a half dozen different parts of Iran. It required risking the lives of many of those personnel to recover the two airmen.

President Trump News Conference After U.S. Airmen Rescue in Iran

The WSO’s recovery occurred on Easter Sunday some 50 hours after being shot down. It all began in the early morning hours of April 3 in Iran. After the F-15E was shot down, officials at U.S. Central Command received a message that would kick start the operation.

“A U.S. Air Force F-15E Strike Eagle, call sign DUDE44… was down in hostile Iranian territory, the pilot and weapon systems officer had both safely ejected and were isolated behind enemy lines,” Caine told reporters during a White House briefing. “Following confirmation of active rescue beacons, and on the direction of the Secretary [of War Pete Hegseth] and by order of the President, a rescue operation was launched with the stated purpose of bringing both Americans home safely.”

A US Air Force combat search and rescue (CSAR) task force was quickly spun up, Caine explained. It included 10 A-10C Thunderbolt II close support jets, HC-130J Combat King CSAR planes, HH-60W Jolly Green II CSAR helicopters and Air Force special operations airmen.

“A package comprised of combat rescue officers and pararescuemen operators audaciously penetrated enemy territory in broad daylight to find, fix and recover DUDE44 Alpha from behind enemy lines,” Caine proffered.

As the CSAR package, protected by a fighter strike package, crossed into Iran, “A-10s and …drones and other tactical aircraft were violently suppressing and engaging the enemy in a close in gunfight to keep them away from the front seater and allow the pickup force to get into the objective area,” Caine noted. During this engagement, one of the A-10s – “the one primarily responsible for communicating with the downed pilot, was hit by enemy fire,” said Caine. “This pilot continued to fight, continued the mission, and then upon exit, flew his aircraft into another country and determined that the airplane was not landable… The pilot then made the decision to eject over friendly territory, and was quickly and safely recovered and is doing fine.”

After picking up the F-15E pilot, the HH 60W Jolly Green “was engaged by every single person in Iran who had a small arms weapon, and one of the aircraft, the trailing aircraft, took several hits,” Caine told reporters. “The crew sustained minor injury, and they are going to be fine.”

“The A-10 force and the rescue force did a fantastic job rescuing DUDE44 Alpha,” Caine continued. “He was recovered Friday afternoon, as I said, and the nation needs to know this. This was an incredibly brave and courageous mission, and a testament to the courage, skill and tenacity of the joint force and our leaders, and especially a daylight option.”

Rescuing the pilot was only the first step. The WSO was still out there, alone and being hunted by the military and civilians. Officials in Tehran put out a large bounty for his recovery. If was captured or killed, it would have been a tremendous propaganda coup for Iran and a huge problem for America.

“Meanwhile, the second crew member, the weapon system officer, a highly respected colonel, had landed a significant distance away from the pilot,” Trump explained. “When you’re going at those speeds, even if you go out two or three seconds later, it’s miles and miles away, because you’re going fast.”

The Death-Defying Mechanics of Fighter Jet Ejections | Cars Insider

The WSO “was injured quite badly and stranded in an area teeming with terrorists from the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps, a rough group, as well as the Basij militia and local authorities,” recounted Trump, who was watching it all unfold in real time. “Despite the peril, the officer followed his training and climbed into the treacherous mountain terrain and started climbing toward a higher altitude, something they were trained to do in order to evade capture.”

“He scaled cliff faces bleeding rather profusely, treated his own wounds and contacted American forces to transmit his location,” the president continued. “They have a very sophisticated beeper type apparatus that is on them at all times.”

The WSO was located thanks in large measure to help from the CIA.

“As an agency, the CIA possesses unique capabilities that only the president can deploy,” said its director, John Ratcliffe, who also spoke at the presser. “Some of these capabilities fall under covert action authorities, and because covert means exactly that I’m not going to be able to tell you everything that you want to know. At the President’s direction, we deployed both human assets and exquisite technologies that no other intelligence service in the world possesses to a daunting challenge, comparable to hunting for a single grain of sand in the middle of a desert.”

Trump praised Ratcliffe and the agency.

“And John Ratcliffe was incredible,” the president proffered. “It was actually their genius that called us from – he was 40 miles away – and he said, ‘you know, we’re seeing something moving up in a mountain.’ It’s at night And they kept the camera on for 45 minutes. He wasn’t moving. And they said, ‘you know, probably wrong, but we’re seeing something moving.’ This a man, vast mountain, vast thick with bushes, trees. He said, ‘We see something moving 40 miles away…I’m telling you, it’s moving.’ And then all of a sudden, 45 minutes later, he moved a lot, stood up, and they said, ‘we have him.’”

“And that was really the beginning of something incredible,” Trump added. “We had an idea where he was, but not specifically. That’s big mountain. So I want to thank the CIA too. I don’t think they get enough credit for the great job they’ve done.”

Once the WSO was located, “[w]e immediately mobilized a massive operation to retrieve him from the mountain,” Trump continued. “He kept going higher and higher. The mountain kept getting rougher and rougher, and was really, very, very hard to find. The second rescue mission involved 155 aircraft, including four bombers, 64 fighters, 48 refueling tankers, 13 rescue aircraft and more.”

All these assets, however, weren’t just for the spot where the WSO was located. Many of these aircraft were taking part in diversion efforts to throw Iranians off the trail. 

“We were bringing them all over, and a lot of it was subterfuge,” Trump stated. “We wanted to have them think he was in a different location, because they had a vast military force out there, thousands and thousands of people were looking. So we wanted them to look in different areas. So we were scattered all over, like we were right on top of them. We had seven different locations where they thought, and they were very confused. They said, ‘Well, wait a minute, they’ve got groups here. They’ve got groups there.’”

As the WSO hid, the military had created a forward arming and refueling point on a farm, Trump noted. You can read more about how the Air Force would set up and defend such a location in our interview with a former Air Force Special Tactics Squadron airman here.

That location, the president proffered, was less than ideal for such operations, which involved landing two heavily loaded MC-130J Commando II special operations cargo planes that included several H-6 Little Bird special operations helicopters among other equipment in their holds.

“This was not much of a runway,” the president stated, adding that the ground was wet and sandy, making landing, and especially takeoff, a challenge. “This was a farm, not a runway. It’s a farm. But it did the trick.”

After the wounded WSO was found, he was whisked back to the FARP, but getting him and the aircraft brought in to help find him was a tremendous challenge.

Trump said that with the MC-130s stuck in the wet, sandy soil, “we blew them up to smithereens.” The Little Birds were also blown up in place as well, because the aircraft that replaced the Commando IIs weren’t capable of exfilling them.

To replace the C-130s, “lighter, faster aircraft came in, and they took them out,” Trump said about the personnel and equipment. He was almost certainly referring to the CASA C-295W, a short take off and landing (STOL) twin turboprop that are modified for the special operations role.

A video has previously emerged said to show a C-295W flying at extremely low altitude in the general vicinity of the crash site. The U.S. Air Force operates a handful of these aircraft, likely assigned to the secretive 427th Special Operations Squadron. This unit is known to specialize in covert and clandestine infiltration and exfiltration missions, among other duties.

You can see that video below.

During the press conference, Trump pointed out not everyone in the military was in agreement that the U.S. should commit so many resources, human and equipment, to such a dangerous effort to rescue two men.

“There was military people, very professional, that preferred not doing it,” explained the president. “There were military people that said, ‘you just don’t do this. You don’t go into the heart of a very powerful military.’”

Trump of course listened instead to Caine and Hegseth, each of whom implored him to green light the missions.

Now with the official account of the mission behind us, here are some additional details about the rescue that were reported elsewhere.

The communication device the airmen used was the CSEL, or Combat Survivor Evader Locator, according to Ynet. The manufacturer, Boeing, describes it as being “like a global 911 emergency call system for downed personnel, providing U.S. forces with a tactical advantage.”

The CSEL system uses a flexible, modular communications architecture over multiple satellite links for secure communications and sends simple messages in bursts, with a low probability of intercept (LPI). These messages can include basic information about the status of the downed airman. It can then switch to less stealthy line-of-sight radio when extraction forces are nearby.

United States President Donald Trump has announced that the US military has rescued a missing American fighter jet crew member in Iran.

The Air Force officer went missing in a remote part of Iran after the downing of his F-15 jet on Friday. Its two crew members ejected from the plane. The pilot was quickly rescued by US forces, but a search had to be launched for the F-15’s weapons systems officer.

In a Truth Social post on Sunday, Trump wrote that the US had rescued the second “seriously wounded, and really brave” airman from “deep inside the mountains of Iran”. It was reported that a firefight between US and Iranian forces took place in Kohgiluyeh and Boyer-Ahmad province before the rescue. Iran has not confirmed this, however.

Here is how the complicated rescue mission unfolded:

What has Trump said about the rescue?

While the identity of the rescued airman has not been made public, Trump referred to him as “a highly respected Colonel”.

He added that the type of rescue mission that recovered him “is seldom attempted because of the danger to ‘man and equipment’”.

Trump said two raids had taken place, and the pilot was rescued in “broad daylight” during the second raid. It is unclear when precisely the pilot was rescued. The US president wrote that the rescue was “unusual, spending seven hours over Iran”.

In his post, Trump said he would talk more about the rescue mission during a news conference with the US military in the Oval Office of the White House on Monday at 1pm (17:00 GMT).

Trump wrote on Truth Social: “This brave Warrior was behind enemy lines in the treacherous mountains of Iran, being hunted down by our enemies, who were getting closer and closer by the hour, but was never truly alone because his Commander in Chief, Secretary of War, Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, and fellow Warfighters were monitoring his location 24 hours a day, and diligently planning for his rescue.”

Trump added that he had ordered dozens of aircraft carrying “lethal weapons” to be sent to retrieve the airman, who had managed to evade Iranian forces for two days.

How did the search unfold?

On Friday morning, the US confirmed that an F-15E Strike Eagle had been shot down over southern Iran. The F-15 is a tactical fighter jet used by the US Air Force that first flew in 1972. Modern variants of the jet cost more than $90m each.

State media outlets in Iran showed photos of what they said was wreckage from the F-15 and what appeared to be an ejection seat with an attached parachute.

Trump suggested that the US knew the location of the plane’s second airman and was tracking him as the rescue mission unfolded.

Iran was also racing to locate the airman. Tehran called on the public to hand over the soldier to the authorities in what appeared to be an effort to secure an American prisoner of war.

Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps claimed on Sunday that Iranian forces had also destroyed two C-130 aircraft and two Black Hawk helicopters during the operation to rescue the US airman in southern Isfahan province.

What do we know about the two C-130 planes that Iran says it destroyed?

The C-130 Hercules and the newer C-130J Super Hercules variant were developed by the US weapons manufacturer Lockheed Martin. They are military transport aircraft primarily used for tactical airlifts, troop transport and medical evacuations.

The Wall Street Journal reported that each C-130 costs more than $100m.

The newspaper said in a report on Sunday that the US blew up the C-130 jets on the ground during the rescue operation, quoting an unnamed person familiar with the matter. This unnamed official did not explain how the jets were downed during the rescue operation but told the outlet that it was necessary to destroy them to ensure they did not fall into enemy hands.

Has the US lost other military assets or personnel?

Yes. This conflict has killed 13 US service members and wounded more than 300, the US military’s Central Command said, but no US soldiers have been taken prisoner by Iran.

Since the start of the war on February 28, the US has lost three F-15 fighter jets in what it said was a friendly fire incident over Kuwait. A US military refuelling aircraft also went down over Iraq last month, killing all six crew members.

According to the US military, the last US fighter jet to be shot down by enemy fire before the F-15 on Friday was an A-10 Thunderbolt II during the 2003 US invasion of Iraq.

At least one Black Hawk helicopter was hit during the initial rescue operation, US officials said, but it managed to stay airborne.

An A-10 Warthog aircraft was also hit near the Strait of Hormuz a short time after the F-15E on Friday, but its pilot was able to eject before the plane crashed and was subsequently rescued. Iranian media reported this aircraft was hit by Iran’s defence systems.

Iran has not yet confirmed that a firefight took place before the F-15 airman’s rescue. Al Jazeera’s Tohid Asadi, reporting from Tehran, said a firefight appeared to have occurred in Kohgiluyeh and Boyer-Ahmad province and nine people were reported to have been killed in “strikes” there although it was unclear if this was related to the US rescue mission.

Iran’s armed forces claim that a U.S. fighter jet has been shot down over the country. According to Iranian state media, a U.S. F-35 was downed, although photos of the wreckage of a fighter on the ground point squarely to the aircraft involved being a U.S. Air Force F-15E Strike Eagle — provided they are legitimate.

UPDATE: See latest info on the loss of the F-15E over Iran and the ongoing combat search and rescue operation at the bottom of this post.

A spokesperson for Iran’s Khatam al-Anbiya central headquarters said today that an F-35 was brought down over the central part of the country by a new type of air defense system operated by the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC), with little chance the pilot survived, Reuters reports. The F-15E carries two aircrew, while the F-35 is a single-seater. At this point, we have no firm indication of the fate of the crew if such an incident did indeed take place.

It also remains possible that the images of the wreckage have been manipulated, and we are dealing with misinformation. However, the photos appear genuine and are certainly consistent with parts of an F-15E, including one of the vertical tails, and parts of the wing and tail. There is also the possibility that the images derive from an earlier F-15E loss, which we will come to later.

Specifically, the tail seen here would indicate an aircraft assigned to the 494th Fighter Squadron at RAF Lakenheath in England, based on its red band. This is one of the units that has been deployed to the U.S. Central Command (CENTCOM) area of operations for Epic Fury. The 494th FS has also been extremely active over the CENTCOM area of responsibility for many years.

We should also consider that the F-15E could have come down for multiple reasons other than being shot down by air defenses, as Iran claims. Potentially, the jet could have been hit and lost its tail and even part of its wing, before returning to safe airspace. That might sound incredible, but F-15s have done this before.

Iran might also be presenting some other F-15E wreckage. Iran has collected many wrecks of foreign aircraft over the years, but where this one would have come from is not clear.

Previous documented F-15E crashes in the Middle East or Afghanistan don’t involve aircraft from the 494th Fighter Squadron, as far as we can ascertain. Specifically, since Desert Storm (when the 48th Fighter Wing operated F-111s, not F-15Es), these (non-combat) losses occurred in Iraq (April 2003, 335th FS, 4th FW), Afghanistan (July 2009, 336th FS, 4th FW), and Libya (March 2011, 492nd FS, 48th FW).

Hours before the F-35 claim, the IRGC released a video of what it said showed the successful shootdown of a U.S. F-15 over Qeshm Island, in the Strait of Hormuz. In this case, they attributed the claimed shootdown to an unnamed advanced naval air defense system. The video shows the typical ground-based FLIR systems we have seen in use by air defenses in Yemen and, more recently, Iran. The video does not show the aircraft being struck, but it does show it maneuvering and releasing flares.

That claim was swiftly rebutted by CENTCOM.

At this point, it is unclear if these various incidents are connected, especially since the IRGC specifically identified an F-35 as being shot down, while the claimed Qeshm Island video and the apparent wreckage on the ground clearly show F-15s.

It should be recalled that three F-15Es were brought down over Kuwait in a friendly fire incident earlier in the campaign. CENTCOM confirmed that the six crew members involved ejected safely, and at least some of those remained in theater and have resumed combat operations. It was reported that the three Strike Eagles were brought down by a Kuwaiti Air Force F/A-18 Hornet, although many details of the incident remain unclear. At least one of these jets was from the 48th FW, so we cannot entirely rule out the possibility that we are seeing photos of wreckage from that incident here.

Last month, the IRCG claimed that a U.S. Air Force F-35A was hit over Iran, and U.S. officials confirmed the jet made an emergency landing, with the pilot having sustained shrapnel injuries. The IRGC released a video that they claimed shows the F-35 being hit by a missile, as seen through a forward-looking infrared (FLIR) system that is identical to the kind in yesterday’s supposed footage of the shootdown.

There appear to have been near-misses for U.S. fighter jets operating over Iran, too. On March 26, videos emerged showing an apparent very close call for a U.S. Navy F/A-18E/F Super Hornet after it was targeted by what appears to have been an Iranian man-portable air defense system (MANPADS). The F/A-18 was conducting a low-level strafing run at the time.

Taken together, all these events underscore the persistent threat posed by Iranian air defenses, whatever is left of them. Despite claims from U.S. officials of aerial superiority over Iran, the continued risk from various air defense systems is something that we have repeatedly drawn attention to.

The apparent incident today comes amid continuing regional tensions, with Iran launching more attacks across the Middle East, including missile strikes targeting Israel and Bahrain, as well as a drone attack that set an oil refinery in Kuwait on fire.

We have approached CENTCOM, the Pentagon, and U.S. Air Forces in Europe for more information and will continue to update this story as more details emerge.

UPDATES:

UPDATE: 6:27 PM EST –

The video we showed earlier of Iranian law enforcement shooting at low-flying U.S. Black Hawk helicopters was geolocated to near Choram, Iran, about 70 miles north of the Persian Gulf in that country’s southwest.

UPDATE: 5:28 PM EST –

The White House has called a “lid,” meaning that Trump has no further scheduled public events or media engagements this evening. However, he and his national security team are reportedly still meeting as the search goes on for the missing F-15E aviator.

UPDATE: 5:28 PM EST –

In a brief Friday phone interview with The Independent, Trump declined to say what his course of action might be if the missing crew member of a downed F-15E is captured or harmed by Iran..

“Well, I can’t comment on it because — we hope that’s not going to happen,” the president stated before ending the call.

Trump gave little clarity on how the U.S. would respond if the missing pilot in Iran is harmed, saying only, “We hope that’s not going to happen,” and declining further comment.

Source: The Independent

— Clash Report (@clashreport) April 3, 2026

UPDATE: 5: 19 PM EST –

The House Armed Services Committee was “notified by the Pentagon on Friday that the status of the second F-15E Strike Eagle service member is NOT known,” the Hill reported on X.

NEWS: The House Armed Services Committee was notified by the Pentagon on Friday that the status of the second F-15E Strike Eagle service member is NOT known, a congressional aide, speaking on condition of anonymity, told me @thehill @NewsNation

— Filip Timotija (@filip_timotija) April 3, 2026

UPDATE: 5:11 PM EST –

Trump’s national security team is gathered at the White House, ABC News is reporting on X.

The president “has been working in the Oval Office or Oval Dining Room all day receiving updates,” the network added, citing a senior official.

There has been no public comments from Trump outside of social media posts, ABC noted.

A senior White House official tells me the President’s national security team is gathered at the White House.

Trump has been working in the Oval Office or Oval Dining Room all day receiving updates, the official adds.

No public comments from Trump outside of social media posts

— Selina Wang (@selinawangtv) April 3, 2026

UPDATE: 4:59 PM EST –

The Washington Post is also reporting that an A-10 was struck by incoming fire over Iran. The pilot “navigated the damaged plane to Kuwaiti airspace before ejecting and was subsequently rescued,” the publication stated.

In addition, it confirmed an earlier NBC report that two U.S. Black Hawk helicopters involved in the search-and-rescue effort were also hit by Iranian fire. The Post added that the attack “injured U.S. personnel on board, though both aircraft have safely returned to their base.”

As we noted earlier in this story, The New York Times reported that an A-10 was shot down while Fox said that was inaccurate.

Neither the Pentagon nor CENTCOM have responded to requests for comment.

NEW: Two U.S. military aircraft were shot down in separate incidents Friday while conducting combat operations against Iran, setting off a frantic search-and-rescue effort that remains ongoing for one missing crew member, U.S. officials said. https://t.co/MTQavgZ90u

— Tara Copp (@TaraCopp) April 3, 2026

UPDATE: 4:22 PM EST –

NBC News reports that two U.S. helicopters taking part in the recovery of the pilot of the downed F-15E were struck by Iranian fire, but that the troops are all safe.

UPDATE: 4:08 PM EST –

NBC News stated that in a brief phone interview, President Trump “refused to discuss the specifics of ongoing search and rescue efforts in Iran after an American jet was downed.”

However, he “expressed frustration about some of the coverage of what is plainly an intense and sensitive rescue operation,” the network reported.

Asked if today’s events will affect any negotiations with Iran, the president said it would not.

“No, not at all. No, it’s war. We’re in war, Garrett,” he said.

UPDATE: 3:58 PM EST –

Now Fox News is pushing back against the New York Times story about the A-10 crash,

“An A-10 Warthog attack caught ‘enemy fire’ while a rescue operation for the U.S. crew member took place,” the network reported, citing “a well-placed source.”

We have reached out to CENTCOM, which has not responded to numerous requests for comment, for clarity on these claims.

UPDATE: 3:31 PM EST –

Video emerged purporting to show members of the Iranian Law Enforcement Command (FARAJA) firing small arms at Black Hawks flying at low altitude. While Newsmax reported that a Black Hawk was struck in Iran, it is unclear if it was during this engagement.

And here is the scene of the FARAJA (Iranian Law Enforcement Command) engagement with American Blackhawks at low altitude. One Blackhawk was confirmed hit by Iran. It was a catastrophic day for the United States; many more are to follow. pic.twitter.com/657Th0J4xI

— NEUTRINO (@ETERNALPHYSICS) April 3, 2026

UPDATE: 3:25 PM EST –

Newsmax is now reporting that the Black Hawk was indeed hit and that the crew is accounted for and safe.

UPDATE: 3:15 PM EST –

Iran’s semi-official Fars news said Tehran has rejected a White House request for a 48-hour ceasefire.

“Assessments indicate that this proposal came after the escalation of the crisis in the region and serious problems for US military forces due to an incorrect estimate of the Islamic Republic of Iran’s military capabilities,” the outlet claimed. “Iran’s response to this proposal was not in writing, but rather a field response with continued heavy attacks.”

We have reached out to the White House for comment.

UPDATE: 3:03 PM EST –

The Pentagon has finally added Epic Fury to its online casualty database. To date, there have been 13 troops killed and another 365 wounded.

NEW: The Pentagon has finally added Operation Epic Fury to its online database of U.S. military casualties

As of April 3, a total of 365 have been wounded in action:

• Army = 247
• Navy = 63
• Marine = 19
• Air Force = 36

Death toll remains at 13https://t.co/VaC8OcXmDg

— Julia Jester (@JulesJester) April 3, 2026

UPDATE: 2:58 PM EST –

The New York Times is reporting that an A-10 Warthog close support jet also crashed in the Persian Gulf region on Friday. The pilot was safely rescued, the newspaper stated, citing two anonymous officials.

“The A-10 Warthog attack plane went down near the Strait of Hormuz about the same time that an Air Force F-15E was shot down over Iran,” according to the publication. 

UPDATE: 2:50 PM EST –

Israel suspended airstrikes in Iran amid the U.S. search and rescue effort after a F-15E fighter jet was downed on Friday, according to The Associated Press.

An Israeli official told the AP that the airstrikes were halted in areas “relevant” to the rescue effort.

UPDATE 2:35 PM EST –

Newsmax is reporting that in addition to the F-15E being downed and one of the pilots rescued, a Black Hawk helicopter taking part in CSAR operations may have been hit over Iran as well. While The War Zone cannot independently verify this, the claim highlights the dangerous nature of these operations.

Report from @CarlaBNewsmax: “One source tells me a Blackhawk may have also been hit over Iran while conducting rescue ops to find the second F-15 pilot. I’m told the Blackhawk was tailed by a trail of smoke as it crossed into southern Iraq from Iran today.” https://t.co/mByzZrwMZu

— Steve Lookner (@lookner) April 3, 2026

UPDATE: 2:10 PM EST –

President Donald Trump has been briefed on the downing of the F-15E, Al Jazeera is reporting.

“He has been briefed,” White House Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt said, the White House told us.

The White House has confirmed President Trump has been briefed on the shooting down of a US fighter jet in Iran. It comes as Iranian state TV announced a reward for anyone who captures the US pilots alive.

US media reported one crew member has been rescued. Here’s what we know. pic.twitter.com/dNBnMcqVAn

— Al Jazeera Breaking News (@AJENews) April 3, 2026

UPDATE: 12:30 PM EST–

The critical nature and the huge challenges involved in mounting a CSAR operation in Iranian territory are something we discussed before the war began, as you can read about here.

Specifically, on the CSAR part, we highlighted:

The U.S. has the most advanced air combat capabilities on earth, but ‘shit happens,’ especially during war. Even the Houthis nearly downed U.S. fighter aircraft optimized to destroy enemy air defenses. But regardless of defenses and the state of Iran’s air defense overlay, putting Americans over Iran, and repeatedly over days and weeks, is a risk. Aircraft can malfunction, and mistakes can be made. When that happens, it will require even more risk to push combat search and rescue assets into the area to try to recover the crew. In other words, regardless of America’s outstanding air warfare capabilities, there is still a real risk involved in any operation over Iran.

And that is just what we’ve seen today.

As for CSAR operations and the packages of assets used to go in and pluck downed aircrews from deep inside contested territory, these can look different based on where the incident occurred, what the enemy’s capabilities are, what assets are available and intelligence at the time. These highly tailored groups of assets are tasked with one of the toughest missions imaginable, penetrating into potentially highly defended territory where, in some cases, even America’s most capable combat aircraft did not survive. This would likely be occurring when an enemy is on its highest alert and very active searching for the downed aircrew. In other words, they know you are coming. Executing these operations at night is ideal, but sometimes, daylight cannot be avoided, upping the danger.

The risks are immense as putting many more lives and assets, the latter of which could be more vulnerable than the one lost, at risk in order to rescue a small number or aircrew can cascade quickly into a much larger disaster. While the rotary-wing aircraft and the Pararescuemen (PJs) they carry are often the stars of the CSAR show, a huge array of assets participate in these operations to make them have the best chance at success. This includes C-130s working in the aerial refueling and support role that enables the rescue helicopters to get to their target area. Fixed-wing attack aircraft working in the ‘Sandy’ close air support role aimed at opening holes for helicopters at their landing zones and protecting them and the rescue party once on the ground. They are also a contingency in place if a rescue asset also goes down, buying that crew time until another asset in the rescue party can swoop in and grab them. In the modern era of warfare, drones, such a MQ-9 Reapers, can also be risked ahead of the CSAR force to gather intel and surveil the landing zone. Also knowing what took down the stranded aircrew’s aircraft can be a big help in seeing the rescue force gets in and out of the area safely, as well.

CSAR Training • A-10 Warthogs Fly Close Air Support

From there the list is endless. This package would often require a counter-air capability of fighters providing defense against aerial threats. F-22s, F-15s, F-16s, can all provide this depending on the level of threat in the area. The force would also need to be backed by suppression of enemy air defenses (SEAD) aircraft, such as F-16CJ/CMs or F-35As, that would work to suppress or destroy any pop-up surface-to-air missile threats. Then you have standoff jamming support aircraft to help all this survive and airborne early warning and control (AEW&C) assets to coordinate the air battle and keep an eye out for threats. Then there are the tankers, lots and lots of tankers, to keep all this stuff in the air for a prolonged period of time. Beyond this sampling of aircraft, there are many more assets and capabilities all over the globe and in space that would support such an operation.

And this is just a snapshot of the USAF’s CSAR portfolio, the Navy and Marines have their own tactical recovery of aircrew and personnel (TRAP) packages.

In the case of an air war like the one over Iran, these tailored packages were well thought through in advance and CSAR sits alert at all times ready to go execute the mission. The longer it takes to get to the target area the lower chances the crew has of surviving and/or not being captured. This can be a game of minutes or hours, not days, but bringing all these assets together and getting them on the same page without making things worse does take some time. Considering what is at stake, CSAR crews move as fast as possible to get the mission in motion as they know their job only gets exponentially harder and more dangerous with time, as does evading enemy capture for the downed crew.

The big takeaway here is that these are extremely complex and highly-integrated operations, usually executed under very tight timelines.

UPDATE: 12:20 PM EST–

U.S. officials have confirmed to CBS News that one crew member from the F-15E downed over Iran has been rescued by American forces.

A search and rescue effort is ongoing for the other crew member, the same sources said. 

UPDATE: 12:00 PM EST–

White House Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt has apparently told CNN that President Trump has been briefed on the situation regarding the F-15E shootdown. We are still waiting to hear back from CENTCOM, the Pentagon, and U.S. Air Forces in Europe for anything more concrete on the incident.

President Trump has been briefed on the US fighter jet shot down over Iran, White House Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt tells CNN

— Faytuks News (@Faytuks) April 3, 2026

In what may well turn out to be a separate incident, there are reports that a U.S. Air Force F-16 flying in an area around the Iraq-Iran border has squawked 7700, the universal, international transponder code used by aircraft to immediately alert Air Traffic Control (ATC) of a general emergency. We have again reached out to CENTCOM for more details.

A U.S. Air Force F-16CJ is flying out of Iran/Iraq airspace and has squawked 7700— the universal code for a general in-flight emergency, indicating the crew is dealing with a serious issue. https://t.co/De9S0gkjax

— Clash Report (@clashreport) April 3, 2026

UPDATE: 11:35 AM EST–

Very much unconfirmed at this stage is a report from N12 News in Israel, citing a Western source, who says that one of the two U.S. aircrew of the downed F-15E has been rescued.

N12 News’ Amit Segal reports, citing a Western source, that one of the two US crew members of the downed fighter jet has been rescued. https://t.co/fpB6JNTJgv

— Faytuks News (@Faytuks) April 3, 2026

UPDATE: 11:30 AM EST–

We seem to have gotten an update on the earlier report that Iran was offering a bounty for the safe recovery of a U.S. pilot. Authorities are now reportedly offering a sum of around $60,000.

Iranian authorities are offering a reward of 10 billion tomans (~$60k) for the capture of the American F-15E aircrew downed earlier today.

— OSINTtechnical (@Osinttechnical) April 3, 2026

The Iranian Mehr News Agency reports that a U.S. helicopter involved in the rescue effort was hit by some kind of Iranian projectile. It is unclear if the helicopter was brought down or if it is the same example that was reported as “attacked by air defense near the border and fled the scene.” Of course, this could be nothing more than propaganda. Although imagery reportedly showing a hit on the helicopter is circulating on social media, it is far from clear whether or not it is authentic.

UPDATE: 11:20 AM EST–

Videos also continue to emerge claiming to show HC-130Js operating over Iran, often at low level. In its official factsheet, the Air Force stresses that HC-130J crews “normally fly night, at low to medium altitude levels in contested or sensitive environments, both over land or overwater.” Such overt daytime flights would point to the particular urgency of this mission, but it is worth noting that the HC-130J is also well equipped with self-protection gear.

U.S. Air Force HC-130J Combat King II search and rescue plane overflying an Iranian countryside at ultra-low altitude during the ongoing operation to evacuate two American crew-member of the downed F-15E Strike Eagle fighter jet. pic.twitter.com/CWc5SzokRT

— Status-6 (War & Military News) (@Archer83Able) April 3, 2026

«جمعه ۱۴ فروردین ۱۵:۱۶. نزدیک جزیره خارگ. بعد از ما رفت سمت ایران و خارگ.» pic.twitter.com/lqYC2dhWYG

— مملکته (@mamlekate) April 3, 2026

Unverified for now are videos coming out of Iran that claim to show locals firing small arms at U.S. aircraft involved in the rescue effort.

UPDATE: 11:10 AM EST–

The Guardian appears to be one of the first major news outlets to report that the aircraft shot down was an F-15E, citing U.S. officials familiar with the situation who confirmed this fact off the record, and that the Pentagon was scrambling to find the crew.

The same has been reported by specialist press, including Air & Space Forces Magazine.

A U.S. Air Force F-15E Strike Eagle was downed over Iran and combat search and rescue efforts are underway, people familiar with the matter told Air & Space Forces Magazine. https://t.co/divbKi1VT0

— Chris Gordon (@ByChrisGordon) April 3, 2026

UPDATE: 10:40 AM EST–

Multiple major news agencies, including CNN, the New York Times, and Reuters, are now reporting that a U.S. fighter jet has been shot down over Iran. The incident would mark the first time a U.S. aircraft has been shot down over Iran during the conflict — at least that we know about. 

According to CNN, three U.S. sources have confirmed Iranian state media reports. Reuters cites a single U.S. official.

CNN has geolocated some of the videos of CSAR efforts in the Khuzestan province in central Iran. One of the videos shows a bridge over the Karoon River, which is around 290 miles south of Tehran.

A US fighter jet has been shot down over Iran, three US sources said confirming Iranian state media reports.
US forces have launched search and rescue efforts, the sources said. Potential rescue efforts appeared to be captured in video posted to social media and geolocated by…

— Natasha Bertrand (@NatashaBertrand) April 3, 2026

An unverified video said to be taken from the area of the rescue effort shows an A-10C attack jet. The A-10 is well-versed in the Sandy mission, a specialized CSAR role in which the jets provide close air support for downed aircrew and escort rescue helicopters.

UPDATE: 9:00 AM EST–

Citing Iranian media as well as an unnamed source familiar with the incident, Axios reports that Iran did shoot down a U.S. jet, and that a search and rescue effort is underway to locate two crew.

UPDATE: 8:50 AM EST–

At least some official Iranian media channels are now also reporting the U.S. military aircraft claimed shot down over the country earlier today as an F-15E, rather than an F-35.

🚨Iran has shot down an F-15E ‘Strike Eagle’ belonging to the 494th Fighter Squadron ‘LN’ based at RAF Lakenheath in the United Kingdom

Debris of the tail fin confirm the downing. The fate of the pilots is currently unclear. pic.twitter.com/onicosCPAp

— IRIB (Islamic Republic of Iran Broadcasting) (@iribnews_irib) April 3, 2026

UPDATE: 8:35 AM EST–

Iranian television channels are apparently now broadcasting a message offering a reward from the regime for anyone who can capture the U.S. pilot alive.

UPDATE: 8:30 AM EST–

Additional videos, purportedly taken in Iran, appear to show a pair of HH-60 helicopters taking turns to refuel from an HC-130J.

Wild footage from a USAF C-130 fueling two helicopters over Iran shared by telegram channels. The cars & the dialect are Iranian and from southwest. pic.twitter.com/K9cufOOY26

— Ramin Khanizadeh (@RKhanizadeh) April 3, 2026

🚨Many people in southwestern Iran have gone to the area around the crash site of the American fighter jet in private cars to #capture the American pilot.

The Iranian armed forces have called on the people NOT TO LET anyone mistreat the pilot.

— IRIB (Islamic Republic of Iran Broadcasting) (@iribnews_irib) April 3, 2026

UPDATE: 8:15 AM EST–

Tasnim, the semi-official news agency in Iran associated with the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps, claims that U.S. attempts to rescue a downed fighter pilot (singular) have failed. The agency says that this was confirmed to them by “news sources” in Kohgiluyeh. The report continues: “The Americans have been conducting search operations for hours using Black Hawk helicopters and a Hercules 130 aircraft to rescue their fighter pilot who was shot down by Iranian armed forces; however, their attempt has failed.”

One of the helicopters involved in the rescue effort was “attacked by air defense near the border and fled the scene,” Tasnim adds.

In a post on X, Tasnim claims: “Unconfirmed reports suggest that Iranian security forces have taken into custody the pilot of a U.S. F-35 fighter jet following its destruction by the country’s air defense system inside Iranian territory.”

Of course, all of these claims remain unverified at this point. It is also puzzling, to say the least, why Iranian reports are consistently identifying the jet as an F-35, while publishing photos of an F-15E.

Iranian Forces Capture F-35 Pilot After Downing Advanced US Warplane

Unconfirmed reports suggest that Iranian security forces have taken into custody the pilot of a US F-35 fighter jet following its destruction by the country’s air defense system inside Iranian territory. https://t.co/PiQDh7xoo9 pic.twitter.com/FK4OGROOYi

— Tasnim News Agency (@Tasnimnews_EN) April 3, 2026

Normally, CSAR operations would be kept under wraps until the crew was safe, but in our digital world that is no longer guaranteed. The US has well practiced and resourced procedures, but there is always the risk of losing more assets in the act of saving downed aircrew.🤞 https://t.co/zyDXqIueMP

— Greg Bagwell (@gregbagwell) April 3, 2026

Unverified footage suggests that the CSAR effort over Iran may also now be supported by F-35 fighters and MQ-9 Reaper drones.

NOW: F-35 jets and MQ-9 drones were also spotted supporting U.S. helicopters over Iran, searching for the pilots of downed F-15E jet. pic.twitter.com/1cpNQ7pJq0

— Clash Report (@clashreport) April 3, 2026

UPDATE: 7:50 AM EST–

Unverified claims from Iranian sources, as well as imagery, suggest that the U.S. military may have staged an effort to rescue pilots from the downed F-15E fighter jet in Iran. Available imagery points to the use of C-130 and H-60 Black Hawk series aircraft. Specifically, U.S. Air Force combat search and rescue efforts typically rely upon the heavily modified HH-60 helicopters for extraction, HC-130J Combat King II aircraft for command and refueling, and highly specialized pararescuemen (PJs).

WATCH: U.S. C-130 Hercules reportedly flying very low over Iran, deploying flares.

The U.S. forces are highly likely searching the pilots of downed F-15E jet. pic.twitter.com/cPaQg29bOg

— Clash Report (@clashreport) April 3, 2026

Also unverified, at this point, is the following image, which claims to show one of the two ejection seats from the downed F-15E.

The Iranians have found the Advanced Concept Ejection Seat II (ACES II) ejection seat system employed in U.S. Air Force F-15E Strike Eagle fighter jet that crashed in Iran this morning.

The whereabouts of the F-15E’s two crew-members are still unknown. pic.twitter.com/Q2Fz558TBr

— Status-6 (War & Military News) (@Archer83Able) April 3, 2026

Contact the author: thomas@thewarzone.com

Every football program needs a Jessie Christensen on their staff. She’s the MacGyver of St. John Bosco High‘s program.

Before colleges had general managers or people in charge of operations, St. John Bosco hired Christensen in 2013 to be director of football operations. That means everything and anything is within her purview, from travel arrangements to parental and player communication to finances to dealing with college coaches.

“She was first the first of her kind. Now everybody has one,” coach Jason Negro said.

A former parent in the program, Taliuta Viliamu-Asa, said of Christensen, “She wears so many hats and ensures each year that the whole operations, academics study halls, grade checks, player feeding, banquet, games, media visitors, ball boys, volunteers, tailgate, middle school camps, and etc. are well planned out. She has a hand in it all to make sure every event, trip, fundraiser, football game and practically everything involving the football program results in being ran with careful planning for successful results.”

Always be nice to Christensen, for she has the keys to open any door.

This is a daily look at the positive happenings in high school sports. To submit any news, please email eric.sondheimer@latimes.com.

Spring has sprung in Los Angeles. In just a couple weeks, thousands of music lovers will make the trek to Indio’s Empire Polo Club for the Coachella Valley Music & Arts Festival, with dozens of L.A. chefs joining them. While in the desert, many festival goers take a detour through neighboring Palm Springs to explore museums, restaurants and bars before the dry climate climbs into the triple digits.

Closer to home, Los Angeles’ food scene is mourning the loss of two legendary haunts forced to permanently close their doors. After months of extensions, Cole’s French Dip closed at the end of March, though owner Cedd Moses said he was still hopeful that the city’s longest-running public house and rumored creator of the French dip sandwich would sell to a new owner. In Echo Park, Taix restaurant closed after 99 years of operation to make way for a six-story housing complex.

But it’s not all bad news for local restaurants. In Melrose Hill, a Bangladeshi chef has returned to the kitchen after a two-decade-long break from the industry. Across town, a viral smashburger spot from a celebrated chef is drawing lines for its juicy Wagyu patties. And for those heading to the desert, restaurant critic Bill Addison insists a modern Mexican pop-up is worth the weekday trip. Here are 13 places to put on your dining agenda this month:

NEW YORK — In a strongly worded decision this week, a federal judge ordered that the Voice of America — an international broadcaster with the mission to provide news for countries around the world that was largely shut down for the last year by the Trump administration — come roaring back to life.

Whether or not that actually happens is uncertain.

The government filed notice Thursday to appeal U.S. District Judge Royce C. Lamberth’s order two days earlier to put hundreds of VOA employees who have been on paid leave the last year back to work. Lamberth had ruled on March 7 that Kari Lake, President Trump’s choice to oversee the bureaucratic parent U.S. Agency for Global Media, didn’t have the authority to reduce VOA to a skeleton.

The Voice of America was established as a news source in World War II, beaming reports to many countries that had no tradition of a free press. Before Trump took office again last year, Voice of America was operating in 49 different languages, heard by an estimated 362 million people.

Trump’s team contended that government-run news sources, which also include Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty, were an example of bloated government and that it wanted news reporting more favorable to the current administration. With a greatly reduced staff, VOA currently operates in Iran, Afghanistan, China, North Korea and in countries with a large population of Kurds.

Lamberth, in his decision, said Lake had “repeatedly thumbed her nose” at laws mandating VOA’s operation.

Time to turn the page at VOA?

VOA director Michael Abramowitz said legislators in both parties understand the need for a strong operation and have set aside enough funding for the job to be done. “It is time for all parties to come together and work to rebuild and strengthen the agency,” he said.

Don’t expect that to happen soon. “President Trump was elected to eliminate waste, fraud and abuse across the administration, including the Voice of America — and efforts to improve efficiency at USAGM have been a tremendous success,” said White House spokeswoman Anna Kelly. “This will not be the final say on the matter.”

Patsy Widakuswara, VOA’s White House bureau chief and a plaintiff in the lawsuit to bring it back, said that “restoring the physical infrastructure is going to take a lot of money and some time, but it can be done. What is more difficult is recovering from the trauma that our newsroom has gone through.”

It’s an open question whether the administration wants a real news organization or a mouthpiece, said David Ensor, a former Voice of America director between 2010 and 2014. “We don’t know — maybe no one does at the moment — what the future holds,” he said.

The administration’s efforts over the last year to bolster friendly outlets and fight coverage that displeases Trump offer a clue, even though Congress has required that Voice of America be an objective and unbiased news source. This week it was announced that Christopher Wallace, an executive at the far-right network Newsmax who had previously spent 15 years at Fox News Channel, will be the new deputy director at VOA. Abramowitz didn’t know he was getting a new deputy until it was announced.

Widakuswara wouldn’t comment on what Wallace’s appointment might mean. “I’m not going to pass judgment before seeing his work,” she said.

While Lamberth ordered more than a thousand employees on leave to go back to work, it’s not clear how many of them moved on to other jobs or retired in the last year. The judge also said he did not have the authority to bring back hundreds of independent contractors who were terminated.

One employee who left is Steve Herman, a former White House bureau chief and national correspondent at VOA and now executive director of the Jordan Center for Journalism Advocacy and Innovation at the University of Mississippi. Despite the court decisions, he questions whether the Trump administration would oversee a return to what the organization used to be.

“I’m a bit of a pessimist,” Herman said. “I think it’s going to be very difficult.”

An administration loath to admit defeat

Besides fighting to shut it down, Trump is loath to admit defeat. The White House recently nominated Sarah Rogers, the undersecretary of State for public diplomacy, to run the U.S. Agency for Global Media, putting it more firmly within the administration’s control. Her nomination requires Senate approval.

“Is Marco Rubio’s State Department going to allow objective journalism in 49 languages?” Herman asked. “I don’t think so. I would want that to happen, but that’s a fairy tale.”

In the budget bill passed in February, Congress set aside $200 million for Voice of America’s operation. While that represents about a 25% cut in the agency’s previous appropriation, it sent a bipartisan message of support, said Kate Neeper, VOA’s director of strategy and performance evaluation. Besides being a plaintiff with Widakuswara in the lawsuit to restore the agency, she has helped some of her colleagues deal with some of their own problems over the past year, including immigration issues.

“There is a lot of enthusiasm for going back to work,” she said. “People are eager to show up on Monday.”

The hunger for information from Voice of America in Iran when he was director was a clear example of what the organization meant, Ensor said. Surveys showed that between a quarter and a third of Iran’s households tuned in to VOA once a week, primarily on satellite television. Occasionally the government would crack down and confiscate satellite dishes, but Iranians could usually quickly find replacements, he said.

“I believe in Voice of America as a news organization and as a voice of America,” Ensor said. “It was important, and it can be again.”

Bauder writes for the Associated Press.

The US is moving military assets to the Middle East that are key to providing support for ground troop operations. Al Jazeera’s Kimberly Halkett says it’s the clearest sign yet of potential US boots on the ground in Iran to secure the Strait of Hormuz.

Israeli forces have attacked multiple towns in southern Lebanon after announcing “limited and targeted ground operations” against Hezbollah. Israel has warned residents will not be able to return to their homes until the military says so.

MOTORHEAD guitarist, Phil Campbell, has died aged 64.

His family said that he died following “a long and courageous battle in intensive care after a complex operation”.

In a heartbreaking statement, his family said: “It is with great sadness that we announce the passing of our beloved father, Philip Anthony Campbell, who passed away peacefully last night following a long and courageous battle in intensive care after a complex major operation.

“Phil was a devoted husband, a wonderful father, and a proud and loving grandfather, known affectionately as “Bampi.”

“He was deeply loved by all who knew him and will be missed immensely. His legacy, music and the memories he created with so many will live on forever.

“We kindly ask that our family’s privacy is respected during this incredibly difficult time.”

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The tribute was posted online by Phil Campbell and the Bastard Sons, a band featuring Phil and his three sons Todd, Dane and Tyla.

The family band were forced to cancel an Australian tour in February due to “medical advice Phil has just received”.

Campbell joined Motorhead in 1984 before they disbanded in 2015 following the death of front man Lemmy, who died in 2015, aged 70.

His studio debut came with the release of Motorhead’s Orgasmatron in 1986.

In 2019, he released his first solo album, Old Lions Still Roar.

More to follow… For the latest news on this story keep checking back at The Sun Online

Thesun.co.uk is your go-to destination for the best celebrity news, real-life stories, jaw-dropping pictures and must-see video.

Like us on Facebook at www.facebook.com/thesun and follow us from our main Twitter account at @TheSun.

A KC-135 Stratotanker that was taking part in Operation Epic Fury has crashed in Iraq, U.S. Central Command announced.

“U.S. Central Command is aware of the loss of a U.S. KC-135 refueling aircraft,” the command stated Thursday afternoon in a media release. “The incident occurred in friendly airspace during Operation Epic Fury, and rescue efforts are ongoing. Two aircraft were involved in the incident. One of the aircraft went down in western Iraq, and the second landed safely.”

“This was not due to hostile fire or friendly fire,” the CENTCOM statement added. “More information will be made available as the situation develops. We ask for continued patience to gather additional details and provide clarity for the families of service members.”

Three American crewed aircraft are known to have been lost during Operation Epic Fury prior to today’s KC-135 loss. These were F-15Es that were shot down in a bizarre friendly fire incident.

This is a developing story. We will update this post with new information as soon as we get it.

UPDATE: 6:15 PM EDT –

The Times of Israel has reported that the second aircraft involved was another KC-135. That outlet also says that the KC-135 in question was one that landed at Israel’s Ben Gurion Airport earlier in the day after declaring an in-flight emergency. Online flight tracking data shows that tanker is a KC-135RT variant, one of a small subset of KC-135Rs that are themselves capable of being refueled in flight. This, in turn, allows them to make use of tanker support themselves to remain on station longer or to conduct longer-distance missions. You can read more about these “receiver-tankers” in this past TWZ feature.

Long security lines snaked into baggage claim areas and parking garages at some U.S. airports over the weekend, a possible indicator of more widespread travel problems as the latest government shutdown drags on.

That kind of disruption, while not yet widespread, is not a concern that typically surfaces at San Francisco International Airport, the largest of nearly two dozen U.S. airports where screening checkpoints are staffed by private contractors under a little-used federal program that allows airports to outsource security screenings while maintaining TSA oversight.

Because contractors’ pay comes from a federal contract, it often continues even when the government shuts down.

“The money’s already been allocated, the payments have already been made, and that continues without interruption,” SFO spokesperson Doug Yakel told the Associated Press. “That is a very nice place to be.”

The contrast draws attention to a long-running debate in the aviation industry: Can private contractors operating under TSA oversight provide a stopgap — and shield airport security operations from the political impasses that can disrupt U.S. air travel?

Some aviation experts see the TSA screening program as a potential model for keeping security lines moving with fewer disruptions during shutdowns. At SFO, that system helped maintain screening operations during last year’s record 43-day shutdown, Yakel said.

But critics caution that privatization is not a silver bullet and could introduce new risks. The union representing federal screeners argues that moving operations to private companies could erode job protections and reduce pay and benefits for workers already facing high turnover amid demanding conditions.

How the program works

Established in 2004, TSA’s screening partnership program allows airports to use private security companies chosen by the federal government to run checkpoints while TSA retains authority over procedures and oversight. The agency says private screeners receive the same security background checks as their federal counterparts.

The program “provides needed relief to staffing shortages brought on by a government shutdown,” TSA said in a statement to AP.

In addition to SFO, other participating airports include Kansas City International Airport, Atlantic City International Airport and Orlando Sanford International Airport.

The vast majority of the nation’s roughly 400 commercial airports, meanwhile, rely on federal screening officers employed directly by TSA. During shutdowns, those workers must continue reporting for duty even though they stop getting paid — a dynamic that has historically led to higher absenteeism and slower-moving checkpoints the longer a shutdown lasts.

The current partial shutdown affects only the Department of Homeland Security, which includes TSA. Democrats in Congress refused to fund the department over objections to its immigration enforcement tactics. The lapse marks the third shutdown in less than a year to leave TSA workers temporarily without pay — and once the government reopens, to have to wait for backpay.

Those disruptions can ripple through the travel system, cascading problems across already crowded flight schedules. The strain is especially acute this time of year as airlines and airports brace for what they expect will be one of the busiest spring break travel seasons on record.

San Francisco’s airport is a ‘litmus test’

Aviation security expert Sheldon Jacobson, whose research contributed to the design of TSA PreCheck, said the program’s success at SFO, a large international airport, shows that privatization “is something that needs to be explored.”

SFO is among the top 15 busiest airports in the U.S. when measured by passenger traffic. A major hub for international travel, it is the second-busiest airport in California behind Los Angeles International Airport.

“It’s operated just as well as any other airport,” Jacobson said, adding that SFO’s multiple concourses and status as a hub for United Airlines demonstrate that even large-scale operations can be managed effectively under this model. “If SFO is the litmus test for delivering this privatized product, then many other airports can do it, too.”

Jacobson noted that most airports currently using the program are smaller, but “the scale issue should not be a limiting factor,” and he called for a broader conversation on how such options could deliver government services efficiently and benefit travelers.

“Of course TSA would have oversight. It’s not like they’re freewheeling on their own,” he said of privately contracted screeners. “We might as well use a government shutdown that affects air travel as an opportunity to begin that discussion.”

Why TSA’s union opposes the private model

The American Federation of Government Employees, which represents TSA officers, has long opposed privatization.

“We will never advocate for any privatization of any federal employees. We don’t believe that’ll work,” Johnny Jones, secretary-treasurer of the TSA union’s bargaining unit, said in a brief phone call this week.

In a blog post on its website, the union argues it could weaken accountability for aviation security — one of the reasons Congress chose to federalize airport screening after the Sept. 11 attacks.

The union also warned that private companies could face pressure to cut costs in ways that affect training, staffing levels and employee benefits. Relying on contractors, the union says, could create inconsistencies between airports if different companies operate checkpoints across the country, potentially complicating oversight of a system designed to maintain uniform national security standards.

“We have to remember the TSA was created in the wake of 9/11 when there were no security standards or very minimal security standards,” said airline industry analyst Henry Harteveldt, president of Atmosphere Research Group. “The TSA came around, they established very stringent airport screening security requirements, which exist to this day.”

Others say there are simpler ways to address the shutdown problem.

Industry groups — including the U.S. Travel Assn., Airlines for America and the American Assn. of Airport Executives — are urging Congress to pass legislation that would ensure aviation workers are paid regardless of the government’s funding status.

“Every time Washington fails to fund the government, these essential workers pay the price. So do travelers. So does the economy,” Geoff Freeman, U.S. Travel Assn.’s president, said in a statement. “That is why America’s travel industry has come together, because this workforce is too important, and the stakes are too high, for this to keep happening.”

An unintended benefit of outsourcing screeners

Republican lawmakers have pushed in recent years to dismantle the agency entirely. Last year, two GOP senators introduced the “Abolish TSA Act,” which would phase out the agency and transfer oversight to a new office charged with aviation security. Supporters of the long-shot legislation say privatized screening could be more efficient and less vulnerable to shutdowns.

TSA leadership has signaled an openness to discussion. Speaking at a House Appropriations subcommittee hearing last year, Ha Nguyen McNeill, a senior official performing the duties of TSA administrator, said “nothing is off the table” regarding potential privatization.

“If a new privatization scheme makes sense, then we’re happy to have that discussion to see what we can come up with,” McNeill said. “It’s not an all-or-nothing game.”

At SFO, officials say its screening model was adopted more than 20 years ago for reasons unrelated to government shutdowns. But with shutdowns in recent years growing longer and more disruptive, the airport says its arrangement has revealed an unintended benefit: fewer staffing disruptions at checkpoints.

“The benefits, I think, are compelling,” Harteveldt said. “The real issue is making sure that any vendor, any partner to the TSA, upholds the strict standards that TSA has established and works with TSA to ensure that screening remains efficient and finds ways to make it even better.”

Yamat writes for the Associated Press. AP video journalist Haven Daley contributed to this report from San Francisco.