THIS IS BIG: A Kuwaiti F/A-18 fighter jet shot down a USAF F-15E jet in a close-range fight with what appears to be AIM-9 Sidewinder air-to-air missile on March 2.
It appears the Kuwaiti pilot either intentionally shot down the U.S. jet or made a very serious mistake.
The authenticity of the clip has not been confirmed yet.
Note that a single Kuwaiti F/A-18 Hornet jet accidentally shot down three U.S. F-15E Strike Eagles.
The Hornet fired three air-to-air missiles, destroying all three jets.
The U.S. Department of Defense has spent the week amassing a very large force in Europe and the Middle East with over 100 aircraft arriving just this week as tensions continue with Iran.
Currently in Europe/U.S. European Command:
36 - F-35s
24 - F-15s
28 - F-16s
12 - F-22s
18 - KC-46s
57+ - KC-135s
USS Gerald R. Ford (CVN-78):
48+ - F/A-18s
6+ - E/A-18s
4+ - E-2s
2 - P-8s
Currently in the Middle East/U.S. Central Command:
36 - F-15s
36 - F-16s
30 - F-35s
12 - A-10s
6 - E/A-18Gs
6 - E-3s
5 - E-11s
7 - KC-46s
20 - KC-135s
1 - U-2
USS Abraham Lincoln (CVN-72):
12 - F-35s
36 - F/A-18s
6+ - E/A-18Gs
4+ - E-2s
4+ - P-8s
This situation is still evolving and aircraft are still moving into position.
Graphic: @ianellisjones
Data: @DefenceGeek@ArmchairAdml@EISNspotter