United States Air Force MC-130J Destroyed

Two U.S. Air Force MC-130J Commando II special operations aircraft were deliberately destroyed by American forces after becoming immobilized on an unpaved landing strip near Mahyar in Isfahan Province, Iran. The aircraft had landed as part of a large-scale combat search and rescue operation to recover the weapons systems officer of an F-15E Strike Eagle lost over western Iran on April 3. After the MC-130Js became unable to take off, replacement transport aircraft were dispatched to extract all personnel and the rescued airman. U.S. forces then destroyed both aircraft to prevent them from falling into Iranian hands. Each MC-130J was valued at over million.