US NAVY DOWNS SYRIAN ‘FITTER’

America’s first air-to-air kill of a manned fighter since ‘Allied Force’ in 1999 has drawn the world’s attention to what is a confused situation on the ground in Syria.

COMBAT REPORT | ‘FITTER’ SHOOTDOWN

An F/A-18E of VFA-87 ‘Golden Warriors’ returns to the USS Bush in April. Note that it carries a live AIM-120 on the shoulder station.
US Navy/MCS2C Christopher Gaines

AT APPROXIMATELY 18.43HRS local time on June 18, a US Navy F/A-18E Super Hornet operating over Syria shot down a Syrian Arab Air Force (SyAAF) Su-22M4 ‘Fitter’ fighter-bomber near Tabqah. The aircraft was, according to a US Central Command (CENTCOM) news release, attacking the Syrian Democratic Forcesheld town of Ja’Din.

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