A US Navy F/A-18E Super Hornet has shot down a Syrian government operated Su-22 shortly after it bombed US-backed Syrian fighters in North Syria the Pentagon have confirmed.
The F/A-18E which shot down the Su-22 belongs to Carrier Air Wing 8, operating off of the USS George H.W. Bush in the Mediterranean Sea.
NOTE FROM THE EDITOR: Apologies on the incorrect aircraft in the image earlier, we originally posted an EA-18G Growler but this has been resolved. Facebook and Twitter take a while to update thumbnail images.
The news has been confirmed by the Combined Joint Task Force for Operation Inherent Resolve.
“At approximately 4:30 p.m. Syria time, June 18, Pro-Syrian regime forces attacked the Syrian Democratic Forces-held town of JaDin, South of Tabqah, wounding a number of SDF fighters and driving the SDF from the town.
Coalition aircraft conducted a show of force and stopped the initial pro-regime advance toward the SDF-controlled town. Following the Pro-Syrian forces attack, the Coalition contacted its Russian counterpart by telephone via an established ‘de-confliction line’ to de-escalate the situation and stop the firing.
At 6:43 p.m.. a Syrian regime SU-22 dropped bombs near SDF fighters south of Tabqah and, in accordance with rules of engagement and in collective self-defense of Coalition partnered forces, was immediately shot down by a U.S. F/A-18E Super Hornet.”
The full text of the release can be seen below.
The USS George H.W. Bush is part of Operation Inherent Resolve in and has been “critical” to the efforts to defeat Islamic State.
Capt. Will Pennington, Bush’s commanding officer said in a statement to the press:
“The defeat and destruction of ISIS was our primary concern and our ship-air wing team performed superbly.
Moving that effort into the 5th Fleet AOO allowed us to not only continue that critical fight but to also demonstrate our commitment to our allies and partners in a critical region of the world.”
The supercarrier and embarked Carrier Air Wing 8 has conducted more than 4,700 sorties and used 813,000 pounds of ordnance in support of Operation Inherent Resolve (OIR), made two port calls and travelled more than 27,000 nautical miles.
Wonder if it was a Russian Su22 would it have been shot down?
Who cares, what the US and it’s fawning band of muppets is doing in Syria is completely illegal, i hope they fail in every way possible.
Oh really?? Would love to hear your answer for eliminating ISIS; I’m sure it would be illuminating!
Come on idiot
Reply and as David said “I’m sure it would be illuminating!”
I suspect it would be anything but illuminating sadly. Instinctive, insulting talk is easy, sensible solutions far less so and lets be honest he, like so many of his ilk has none of those beyond the inane repetitive rhetoric.
David. By not shooting down the jets of a sovereign country in its own country which is at the moment doing more to fight ISIS that the SDF.
It would have most likely been fired at I presume, yes.
I don’t think the United States (even under the Trump administration) would shy away from firing at any forces that fire upon US-backed forces, it’s a simple matter of keeping to your promises.
That said though, a Russian aircraft would more than likely not have been a Su-22, and would most likely have advanced countermeasures on-board, so the likelihood of downing it would decrease drastically had that been the case.
In response to David
Yeah, they say things like, “the US will pay for this aggression one day”, yet I fail to see why. It seems that men fighting AGAINST ISIS should not be getting bombed by the Syrians. They are taking Raqqa back. The Lefts story or banter is generally thin in substance/ depth.
The Syrian regimen are war criminals. I think the su22 shot down had attacked the forces fighting against the Assad regimen and ISIS. The Russian response is troubling though. Are they genuinely now saying they will target French, British or US jets in action over Syria? That will only end badly for Russia their air force and weaponry is currently at least a generation behind the RAF or US and although they have large numbers of 3rd or 4th generation jets and S400/S500 air defence systems there is no guarantee these systems will be able to offer an effective defence… Read more »
What are you talking about !?
Everbody nows that these “SDF” are nothing less than mercenaries working for Coalition/Sunnies plans …