Photos of US MC-130Js, MH-6 destroyed in Iran during downed F-15E WSO rescue

[NickB79]

https://theaviationgeekclub.com/photos-of-us-mc-130js-mh-6-destroyed-in-iran-during-downed-f-15e-wso-rescue/amp/

Images featuring US military aircraft destroyed at a FARP (Forward Arming and Refuelling Point) inside Iran during the rescue of a downed F-15E Strike Eagle weapon systems officer (WSO) have been released by Iran.

According to a video at least two C-130 cargo planes and one MH-6 Little Bird special operations helicopter were destroyed by American forces to prevent their technology from falling into Iranian hands. Tehran says they were destroyed by the Iranian forces.

In fact, photos and footages showing the wreckage of the aircraft in a FARP located in southern Isfahan province were published by Iran’s Tasnim and Fars news agencies.

[CousinIT]

1. All I see is wasted money.

[NickB79]

3. Around $200 million worth

[wcmagumba]

2. So, our all mighty US military is reduced to destroying three of its own aircraft which were "stuck in the mud"...WTF?

[EX500rider]

4. Not surprising

When you have a temp air strip/fwd arming & refueling point deep in enemy territory you have little time to do what you got to do and get gone.
2 planes sink enough in the sand to be stuck and blow em and leave is about all you have time for, you certainly don't have time or the equipment for much else.

Still a better outcome then the cluster during Operation Eagle Claw where they ran into each other in a sand storm and killed eight servicemen, also at a temp FARP deep in Iran in 1980.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Operation_Eagle_Claw