The jets were reportedly downed by Kuwaiti air defense systems while conducting combat missions as part of the large-scale U.S. operation Epic Fury against Iran.
United States Central Command confirmed the loss of all three heavy strike fighters. Earlier reports indicated that only two aircraft had been shot down, and there was initial uncertainty about the specific variant involved. According to official statements, all six crew members survived and are in stable condition.
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The loss of three F-15E aircraft in a single episode is likely to rank as the costliest friendly fire event in recent history.
The F-15E Strike Eagle is no longer in production. The last procurement contract was signed in 1995, with a unit price of approximately $30 million per aircraft. Adjusted for inflation, that figure would be around $65 million today.
Based solely on inflation-adjusted historical cost, the three destroyed aircraft would be valued at more than $195 million. However, this approach does not reflect the true replacement cost.
Because the F-15E is no longer manufactured, the U.S. Air Force would replace the losses with the modern F-15EX Eagle II. Under the Lot 4 contract signed in 2023, each F-15EX was priced at approximately $94 million. With inflation and incremental upgrades, the current price may be higher. On the other hand, increasing production volumes could help stabilize or slightly reduce the unit cost.
Using the 2023 Lot 4 price as a reference point, replacing three downed F-15E aircraft would require roughly $282 million.
This estimate excludes additional costs such as onboard munitions, targeting pods, external fuel tanks or other stores, recovery operations, medical treatment, and compensation for the crews.
Taking these factors into account, the total financial impact could approach $300 million, making it arguably the most expensive friendly fire case in modern military history.
Notably, all three aircraft were reportedly shot down within a short time frame during the first half of Monday, March 2. For that reason, the losses should be treated as a single operational episode rather than three separate incidents.
From the Defense Express side, we urge readers to join a fundraiser for a solution that is already proving effective: the One United Fundraiser, organized by the Serhiy Prytula Charity Foundation to support interceptor drones.
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