Original Source
Iran Claims to Have Shot Down US F-35 Stealth Fighter
Iran Claims Downing of US F-35 Fighter
The Iranian Revolutionary Guard Corps announced on January 19 local time that it had shot down a US F-35 fighter jet using a new advanced air defense system. Footage released by Iran shows a missile rapidly approaching and then a large flash of light. Analysts suggest the system used in the attack is likely an upgraded version of Iran's domestically developed Bavar-373. While F-35s have previously sustained damage due to mechanical failures, pilot errors, or bird strikes, this is effectively the first time one has been shot down by enemy fire.
US Military Confirms Incident, Expresses Dismay
The US Central Command confirmed that the F-35 fighter was conducting a combat mission over Iranian airspace and made a safe emergency landing at a US military base in the Middle East. The pilot is also in stable condition, and the incident's circumstances are currently under investigation. Given that US Secretary of Defense Pete Hegseth had previously asserted that Iran's air defense network had already collapsed, US military leadership is reportedly dismayed by the news of the F-35's downing. The F-35, a fifth-generation stealth fighter valued at approximately 150 billion Korean Won (about $115 million USD) per aircraft, is known as the 'master of the skies' for its ability to evade enemy radar.
*Source: YouTube: YTN (2026-03-20)*
