Declassified footage shows aircraft used in rescue of downed F-15E crew over Iran

Newly declassified footage broadcast by 60 Minutes shows aircraft involved in the rescue of an F-15E Strike Eagle crew shot down over Iran on April 3, 2026, including a C-295W and a Little Bird helicopter that was deliberately blurred.

The segment, titled "Shot Down Over Iran," aired on Sept. 13, 2026 as part of the program's season premiere and included an interview with the aircraft's weapons systems officer, identified only by his mission callsign, "DUDE 44 Bravo." The pilot of the Strike Eagle was not part of the interview.

The officer described the missile impact that damaged the aircraft, a damaged ejection seat and parachute, injuries sustained during landing, and efforts to evade Iranian forces before his rescue. Some of the more notable aviation material appeared in the declassified video rather than the interview itself.

One clip appears to show imagery recorded by an unidentified surveillance platform during the final extraction of the officer from a ridgeline where he had taken refuge. Earlier HH-60W Jolly Green II helicopters involved in the rescue of the other crew member, DUDE 44 Alpha, were shown without blurring, while the Little Bird's appearance was obscured.

Questions about the rescue remain unanswered, according to the account of the broadcast.