Washington:A US fighter pilot rescued after his aircraft was shot down over Iran reportedly described a strange and unsettling sight moments before ejecting — a cluster of Iranian drones flying together in a formation that resembled a giant jellyfish.
"CNN reports that the pilot told intelligence officials he saw several drones working as a single coordinated unit. The tale has stirred a fierce debate among US intelligence agencies, with experts split over what the pilot actually saw.
Unusual formation spotted in skyIn April, the pilot, flying an F-15 over Iran, is said to have seen a swarm of drones moving in perfect unison. Larger drones seemed to connect to smaller drones below, forming a shape resembling the tentacles of a jellyfish.
One source familiar with the pilot’s debriefing told CNN that the drones appeared “interconnected” and working together as a single system. A different source said the pilot called it “a minefield of drones suspended in the air.”
If verified, the report would represent a major leap in Iranian drone technology. Defense analysts for years have observed Tehran’s growing use of unmanned aerial vehicles, but a swarm of this size capable of moving in unison would signify a new level of sophistication.
Intelligence community dividedThe pilot’s statement was soon a matter of conversation among intelligence officials. Some wondered whether he was seeing an advanced capability that was unknown to US agencies, while others had more conventional explanations.
The officials involved in the debriefing reportedly questioned the account, asking if the pilot was certain of what he had seen. There were questions as to whether the formation represented a real technological advance or an experimental system being tried or even an optical illusion given the conditions at the time.
The nature of the reported drone formation remains a point of contention, with intelligence agencies unable to reach a consensus.
Possible role in fighter jet downingThe circumstances surrounding the F-15 loss are still under investigation. Early assessments suggested the unusual drone formation could have helped Iranian forces shoot down the aircraft.
The F-15 had a two-man crew, a pilot and a weapons systems officer. US forces launched a rescue mission to recover both airmen following the incident.
The pilot ejected from the aircraft and was rescued within hours. The weapons systems officer evaded capture by hiding in the mountains for more than a day before being recovered safely. It remains undetermined whether the second crew member observed the reported drone formation.