[Iran Crisis] Details of the F15E Fighter Pilot's Thrilling Rescue Revealed: SOS Message "God is good" Questioned, CIA "Deception Strategy," Enemy Nation Builds Temporary Base

The search-and-rescue operation involving two airmen of the U.S. Air Force F-15E “Strike Eagle” aircraft known as the “Strike Eagle,” was dubbed an Easter miracle, but in the U.S. military’s operational system, being rescued is not “luck”—it is an exceptionally tight, and costly, systematized engineering effort. This system is called Combat Search and Rescue (CSAR).

When a U.S. airman crashes behind enemy lines, the entire U.S. military apparatus springs into action immediately. The rescue process typically consists of the following core elements:

1. The moment of the crash: automation alerts and survival

• Ejection and location: When the airman ejects, the wireless radio beacon (Beacon) in the seat automatically activates, sending encrypted location coordinates and identification codes to satellites and warning aircraft.
• Survival, Evasion, Resistance, and Escape (SERE): This is required training for airmen. After landing, their first priority is to hide. They use the terrain they observed during their descent under the parachute to quickly move away from the crash site (the enemy will search there first), find water sources, and dig concealment positions.

2. Contact and identity verification

• Encrypted communications: The airman carries a survival radio with frequency-hopping capability (such as AN/PRC-112 or a higher model) to establish contact with the command aircraft in the air or with fellow service members.
• Identity authentication: To prevent the enemy from luring them, the rescue center asks the airman extremely personal questions (for example: the name of your high school gym teacher, the model of your first car). These answers are recorded in the airman’s confidential file in advance. If they get even one word wrong, the rescue operation will not be initiated.

3. Forming the “Rescue Task Force” (CSARTF)

The U.S. military would not send just one aircraft. A typical rescue operation usually includes:

• HH-60W “Dark Green Giant” helicopters: Core rescue platform, responsible for retrieving the airman.
• HC-130J transport aircraft: Responsible for refueling the helicopters in the air to extend their range, and to serve as on-scene command.
• A-10 attack aircraft or F-15E: Responsible for “suppressing enemy air defenses” (SEAD), conducting blanket strikes on any surrounding threat targets when the helicopters land.
• Electronic warfare aircraft: Conduct jamming to make the enemy’s radar effectively blind.

4. Key combat personnel: pararescue jumpers (Pararescuemen, PJs)

This group is a particularly special branch within U.S. special operations forces, nicknamed “PJs.”

• They are advanced medics with combat capability.
• They enter the scene by rappelling from helicopters or by parachuting in. Their first mission is to check whether the airman is injured and to drag him onto the helicopter.
• If landing on-site is not possible, they use cable hoist grapples to pull the airman up into the aircraft.

Establishing a temporary base inside Iran

On the F-15 fighter that was shot down by the United States last Friday, there were two crew members. Both ejected and escaped from the aircraft. One of them had previously been rescued by U.S. forces. Trump said that this airman was rescued much faster, during the daytime and amid Iran’s intense artillery fire. Trump only confirmed the other person’s safety on Sunday morning. Iranian officials said the aircraft was shot down by its air defense system.

In Washington, Trump stayed at the White House on Friday, moving back and forth between the Oval Office and its adjacent dining area, as the operation to search for the downed U.S. airmen in Iran was getting ready, ready at any moment to receive the latest updates on the mission to locate that officer.

Regarding the rescue of the second airman, Trump described this U.S. rescue operation as “bold,” successfully saving an “seriously wounded” airman, which is seen as an example of U.S. success. Trump immediately posted a statement announcing, “We found him!” and described in detail the “amazing display of courage and talent,” turning potential U.S. setbacks into a demonstration of capability.

Another U.S. Department of Defense official called the first action on Friday “a bold and quick snatch” during the daytime, while the second action was carried out at night after establishing a temporary base inside Iran. “The two crew members were separated by several miles, and there were hundreds of Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) soldiers everywhere.”

Trump said the airman was then in Iran’s treacherous mountainous area, being hunted by the enemy. The enemy was closing in every hour, but he was never truly isolated or without help, because the Commander in Chief, the Secretary of War, the Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, and his fellow service members had been monitoring his position 24 hours a day and actively planning his rescue.

					▼ Click image to enlarge
					

				


	
	
	
	
	![](https://img-cdn.gateio.im/social/moments-2402bcd86a-b7f166a028-8b7abd-badf29)

				

				


	
	
	
	
	![](https://img-cdn.gateio.im/social/moments-a9df4ac8a5-7b6129151d-8b7abd-badf29)

				

				


	
	
	
	
	![](https://img-cdn.gateio.im/social/moments-40f91e2ce7-6444c5da03-8b7abd-badf29)

						+2
				

				


	
	
	
	
	![](https://img-cdn.gateio.im/social/moments-b1e0995a95-7f71ae9dc3-8b7abd-badf29)

200 special operations troops participated in the operation

When Trump gave interviews to foreign media, he said that about 200 special operations troops participated in this operation. The Iranian military was “just lucky (They got lucky).” They shot down the F-15 using shoulder-fired missiles.

Details about the rescue have continued to come to light, including how the U.S. Central Intelligence Agency (CIA) diverted the enemy’s attention through a “deception operation.”

According to combined reports from foreign media, the crew member spent alone more than 24 hours. At one point, he climbed over rough terrain to reach a mountain ridge at an altitude of 7,000 feet. Aside from a pistol, communications equipment, and a tracking beacon, he had almost nothing else. The crew members of the downed aircraft were highly trained for situations like this. Their top priority was to stay alive and avoid capture. Their training was—assuming their physical condition allowed it and they were not injured to the point of being unable to move—move away from the ejection site as quickly as possible and keep themselves hidden to ensure safety.

CIA “deception plan”

The CIA spread information throughout Iran through multiple channels, saying that the U.S. military had found the second airman who ejected from the F-15 and was now evacuating him by sea to get him out of Iran. In reality, this was to buy time in order to locate the trapped Weapon Systems Officer (WSO), the second pilot in the fighter, seated behind the pilot in the cockpit.

According to sources, the CIA intercepted the distress signal and passed the intelligence to the Pentagon and the White House. The White House then ordered that a rescue mission be launched immediately. Sources said there was initially concern that this “beacon signal” was a “trap” set by Iran.

Trump said that after the Weapon Systems Officer ejected, he transmitted a short and unusual message over the radio: “Power be to God.” Another account said that the exact wording was “God is good.”

Trump said what he heard on the radio sounded like something a Muslim would say. Trump added that people who knew the officer explained that he was a devout person, so it was reasonable that he would say such a thing.

After the CIA confirmed early Saturday morning that it was not a trap, it used advanced technical capabilities to pinpoint the location of the missing airman. CIA Director John Ratcliffe informed War Secretary Hegseth (Pete Hegseth) and General Kane, Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, and finally submitted the information to Trump.

Within 12 hours, the team had landed in Iran

A source said: “In eight hours, our aircraft were already in the air. In nearly 12 hours, our people have already landed in Iran. We have seen how they treat prisoners before. We will do everything we can to ensure we find them first.”

Trump said the U.S. military sent dozens of aircraft into Iran and claimed the operation was completed without any American casualties.

MQ-9 drone provides defense

	![](https://img-cdn.gateio.im/social/moments-7b07b72e8d-9b8bafbb9a-8b7abd-badf29)

			
			▲  MQ-9 Reaper

A U.S. strike team moved into the mountains. Along with U.S. military aircraft dropping bombs to clear the area, the U.S. used MQ-9 Reaper drones to protect the area surrounding where the airman was hiding, and opened fire on any targets that came near that area and the U.S. military operation area to prevent crowds or any Iranian military and civilians from approaching. Trump had been watching everything from the Situation Room.

A senior U.S. official said, “We used every kind of tactical fighter and B-1 bomber in the U.S. inventory, conducting multiple large-scale strikes in the surrounding areas to ensure his safety.”

Air forces carrying out the CSAR mission included the highest-trained and most professional personnel in the military. These missions are typically carried out by helicopters, flying at low altitude over enemy territory, while other military aircraft conduct strikes and patrols in the area.

Iran hangs bounty; thousands pursue

Trump said that at the time, “thousands of savages were chasing him, even civilians were looking for him. They even offered a reward to whoever could catch him.”

The Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) of Iran said that nomadic tribes living in the mountain regions of the country opened fire on two Black Hawk helicopters that participated in the U.S. rescue mission.

Iranian media said that Iran successfully shot down (or destroyed) several U.S. aircraft, including a C-130 military transport aircraft (some reports identify it as the special operations model MC-130J “Commando II”), and at least two helicopters (identified as Black Hawks or MH-6 Little Bird helicopters).

Broken-down aircraft during evacuation; new aircraft dispatched for rescue

There were multiple setbacks during the operation, including two damaged U.S. special operations aircraft. The U.S. had to destroy them on the ground in Iran during the operation. According to CNN citing sources, at a remote small airfield in Iran, two MC-130J special operations transport aircraft had been waiting to take the assault team members and the rescued airmen out of the country, but at some point during the operation they were damaged. The military decided to send a new aircraft and destroy the damaged aircraft rather than risk them falling into Iran’s hands.

Trump said that during the search-and-rescue of the two crew members, the Israel Defense Forces (IDF) provided the U.S. with “a little bit” of help. “They’ve been great partners. They are great and brave people. We’re like an older brother and a younger brother.” And a U.S. Department of Defense official said that Israel did not provide any information about the location of the Weapons Systems Officer, but shared intelligence about the overall local situation. Israeli officials said that the Israeli Air Force carried out an airstrike to prevent Iranian forces from approaching the area.

Reports said that Israel’s intelligence services helped the CIA determine the location of the missing Weapons Systems Officer and ruled out concerns that Iran had set a “trap,” while also stopping the country’s attacks in the area to assist with this mission. Another Israeli official said Israel delayed some planned strikes against Iran so as not to interfere with the search-and-rescue efforts; according to two Israeli sources, Israel also provided intelligence support.

In a statement Sunday morning, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu wrote: “All Israelis are pleased for the fearless American fighters, and for the incredible rescue of the brave American pilots.”