Downed US pilot saw Iran drones flying in 'jellyfish' formation: 'Real alien s**t'

A U.S. fighter pilot shot down by Iran in April described Iranian drones swarming him in a formation compared to a “jellyfish” before he ejected, according to CNN. The F-15E Strike Eagle, valued at $31 million, was hit on 3 April, triggering a search for the weapons-systems officer who stayed in the mountains for hours before being rescued. During a debrief with intelligence officials, the pilot said he saw a unified, overwhelming drone formation: multiple interconnected drones moving as one, with smaller units beneath larger drones “like legs,” sources told CNN. The article says this maneuver could indicate an expanded Iranian capability to deploy drones en masse. It notes the cause of the downing is still under investigation. On the day of the incident, Iran’s Khatam al-Anbiya command said a new air-defense system targeted the aircraft plus three drones and two cruise missiles. U.S. President Donald Trump later announced the second airman had been recovered and was “safe and sound.”