According to U.S. Central Command, three F-15E fighter jets were mistakenly engaged by Kuwaiti air defenses during a complex battle environment that included attacks from Iranian aircraft, ballistic missiles and drones.
All six crew members of the fighters were able to safely eject from their aircraft.
Social media blew up after a concerned Kuwaiti man filmed himself encountering a female F-15 pilot who was smiling despite the harrowing incident.
Derek Jones, executive director of The Chaplain Alliance for Religious Liberty, is a veteran fighter pilot. He flew a variety of fighter aircraft in combat missions and was a “Top Gun” award recipient in the F-111 fighter-bomber.
For whatever reason, he told AFN, the Kuwaitis believed the F-15Es posed a threat to their air space.
There is a good system in place to ensure safety and communication, Jones said, but it only works if everyone involved is communicating and doing their jobs well.
“I'm not looking to give them alibi or excuse,” he said. “They will get to the bottom as to why this happened."
