United States Army MH-6 Little Bird Destroyed

Four MD Helicopters MH-6 Little Birds of the 160th Special Operations Aviation Regiment were destroyed at a makeshift US landing site in Iran during the operation to recover the weapon systems officer of an F-15E Strike Eagle shot down over western Iran on 3 April. The New York Times reported that two MC-130 transports stranded at the same improvised strip were deliberately blown up by US forces once three replacement aircraft arrived, to prevent them falling into Iranian hands, and wreckage of the Little Birds was subsequently recorded at the site. All personnel were extracted safely. Satellite and ground imagery later confirmed the four destroyed helicopters.