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U.S. Super Hornet Narrowly Escapes Suspected Iranian MANPADS Near Chabahar

The close call highlights how low flights over Iran expose jets to small, hard‑to‑spot, shoulder‑fired missiles.

Image
A screengrab of the video showing the F/A-18 Super Hornet involved in a new miss following an apparent Iranian MANPADS launch. (Image credit: X/Telegram)

Overview

  • The F/A-18, seen in videos posted Thursday and recorded near Chabahar on Wednesday, flew on after a missile detonated just behind it during a low-altitude strafing run.
  • The IRGC said the fighter was hit and crashed into the Indian Ocean, while U.S. Central Command issued a fact-check saying no U.S. fighter has been shot down by Iran.
  • Open-source analysts compared multiple angles, geolocated the scene by the Imam Ali IRGC naval base, and judged the engagement a near-miss rather than a direct hit.
  • The incident comes as Super Hornets have shifted to visible low passes and cannon fire in Operation Epic Fury, which increases exposure to MANPADS that are small, mobile, and easy to hide.
  • Reports of a separate F-35 emergency landing after alleged Iranian fire remain unverified, and the MANPADS threat could force changes in flight profiles or countermeasure use for crews flying these missions.