I think it's just someone who was on the transport planes - presumably they got out with the rest of the participants in the (alleged) CSAR operation.

now, why exactly was someone from a maintenance squadron flying in on a special forces operation is a different question, a crashed F-15 (in a completely different location) isn't exactly something you can do maintenance on...

https://xcancel.com/clashreport/status/2041020763763876308

Satellite images show about 28 craters blasted into roads in Iran’s Esfahan province near where a downed US airman was rescued. The craters, each about 9 meters wide, appear placed in a line to deliberately cut off road access. They’re located roughly 20 km from a remote airstrip where US forces destroyed their damaged aircraft. The strikes were likely carried out to block Iranian forces from reaching the area during the rescue operation.

https://xcancel.com/upholdreality/status/2040856329732927762

Iranian TV analysts break down how the US lost 12 aircraft in a single operation -- two C-130s, four Little Birds, four Black Hawks, and two MQ-9 drones.

"I don't even know how to report this without laughing."

https://video.twimg.com/ext_tw_video/2040856281905524736/pu/vid/avc1/1280x720/bz9hgkIKxrv--9hw.mp4

so, some days ago I mentioned the idea that Americans completely failed to notice what actually happened in Iraq in the 2010s during the anti-ISIS war, and are still under the impression that they have a loyal puppet state in Iraq, and, well... https://xcancel.com/DavidLiptonWI/status/2040891090270556454

The U.S. “folding” (not really - Vietnam, Afghanistan, and Iraq were all unqualified wins for the U.S.) after decades of war with minimal costs to the U.S. and paralyzing their economy is really just proof of US divine providence. In Iraq - the U.S. won a permanent military presence, control over the oil money (via the development fund for Iraq), a rump Kurdistan state, and a regime change for competitive elections. In Afghanistan, the U.S. won a permanent dysfunctional economy as retaliation for 9/11. In Vietnam, a permanent dysfunctional economy that eventually opened up to the U.S. and is now America’s little bitch because they were scared shitless by memories of the 1970s

"permanent military presence" MOST OF WHICH LITERALLY JUST FLED IRAQ WITH THEIR TAILS TUCKED BETWEEN THEIR LEGS

"rump Kurdistan state" WHICH HAS BEEN GETTING HAMMERED BY IRAN FOR A MONTH NOW (and wasn't able to actually successfully be used in a scheme to launch a ground incursion into Iran anyway, so, uh, what's the point of it exactly?)

"control over the oil money" well, good thing nothing has happened since that might impact Iraq's ability to export its oil...

"regime change for competitive elections" what does this even mean?

"In Vietnam, a permanent dysfunctional economy that eventually opened up to the U.S. and is now America’s little bitch" https://hexbear.net/post/8026521/7032437

also, love how "permanent dysfunctional economy as retaliation for 9/11" is somehow a strategic end. I guess if you're a demon?

American powers of self-delusion are truly unmatched, you could have Chinese troops parading down Wall Street, Red Alert 2 style and Americans would still manage to convince themselves that they've won somehow

https://xcancel.com/Andyyyyrrrr/status/2040871875492938008

1630z SHUCK 87 USAF E-3 Sentry AWACS (78-0578). #SHUCK87 Inbound to Prince Sultan AB from Ramstein to replace 81-0005. Couldn't follow the airway (T100) briefly as they don't have the Diplomatic clearance to overfly Spain.

FEED ME MORE AWACS AIRCRAFT

https://xcancel.com/AnthonyAgu88102/status/2040931012159381907

Thoughts from a retired Special Operations Officer.

Though I am not an aircraft surgeon, nor a Coniurationis Fautor, I have some thoughts that may be on interest, presented in three points, a conclusion, and a hypothesis, regarding the US rescue operation in Iran, with consideration to the photos of the aircraft used. I have flown on the C-130H and the MC-130J in training and in combat, to include static line airborne operations, Military Freefall (HALO) operations, and combat infiltration and exfiltration in austere environs, such as the Kobani Landing Zone (KLZ) in Northeast Syria during Operation Inherent Resolve.

1. it is important to note that the aircraft used in this operation were NOT the standard C-130 Hercules model, which have 4-blade, steel propellers (see picture #2). The fixed-wing aircraft used were the MC-130J, Commando II, operated by the U.S. Air Force Special Operations Command for clandestine operations. The MC-130J uses six-bladed Dowty R391 composite propellers (see picture #1). These blades are constructed from composite materials, specifically featuring a carbon fiber structure rather than the metal (aluminum) used on older C-130 models.

btw, there are a total of 64 of these in service (well, were ) - so all the cope from Americans about how "these are just C-130s, we've got hundreds of them, who gives a shit" is, indeed, cope, these are actually a highly-specialized variant of the C-130 which there aren't anywhere near as many of, and from which they took final delivery last year - so, that's 3% of that fleet down (although at least it's just a variant of a plane that's still in production, so it's a a lot more replaceable - the choppers, conversely, very much aren't, and have had the program for their replacements canceled too)

2. carbon fiber does not melt in the traditional sense, as it does not turn into a liquid. However, the resin matrix holding the fibers does melt and become viscous.
3. Steel/aluminum blades snap and break. MC-130J R391 blades shatter and can melt. The images we see from the destroyed aircraft (picture #6) show 6 blades. Therefore, these are the MC-130J Dowty blades (they can melt). And as you can see in picture 4 and 5, when not melted, but rather broken, they shred and snap. They do not bend. As you can see from the steel/aluminum variant on the C-130H model, the blades snap and break and bend, they do not shatter or melt.

Conclusion: To declare that the aircraft "definitely" were shot down based on the "bent" propellers is false. Could the aircraft have been shot down? Yes. Could the aircraft have been shot down AND the blades melted in the extreme heat of the fire from the BIP (blown in place)? Yes. Both can be true. But it can also be true that the aircraft was not shot down, nor crash landed, and the propellers do indicate burning and melting, not a crash.

Hypothesis: The rescue operation expanded to become the desired Delta Force, JSOC, SOF, ST-6 high-risk operation to ALSO seize the uranium in Iran; hence the need for so many operators, support, aircraft, etc. This WAS intended to be that operation. It failed. So what happened to the aircraft. I do not believe that they were "stuck". I have seen MC-130Js plow through dirt, mud, snow, gravel, etc. I doubt they were stuck. It is more likely that the aircraft took hits upon entry and also likely took hits and damage while on the ground at the hasty FARP at the old airfield in Isfahan, "conveniently" close to where the suspected uranium may have been stored.

Lesson: A ground war into Iran will be very costly and will be a tactical, operational, and strategic failure (Clausewitz).

https://xcancel.com/GraniteState19/status/2040955060067484043

Solid but just a note. All C-130Js have 6 blades, not just H/MC-130Js. The old H model had four blades props but those are mainly reserve and guard units and unlikely to be employed here.

although by this point, other sources seem to have confirmed these being MC-130Js anyway

https://xcancel.com/Pataramesh/status/2040854666532061221

Just to keep track of KOWN U.S./Israeli Airpower losses & out-of-service cases

• 2 F-15 (claimed friendly fire)
• 1 F-15 (Kuwaiti F-18?)
• 1 KC-135 (claimed shot down by Iraqi militias)
• 1 KC-135 (damaged, claimed mid-air collision)
• ~20-30 Hermes-900 (claimed by Iran)
• ~10 Heron family (claimed by Iran)
• ~20-24 MQ-9 Reaper
• 1 KC-135 (heavily damaged on the ground)
• 3 KC-135 (damaged on the ground)
• 1 F-35 (heavily damaged/crash-landed)
• 1 F/A-18E (light damage by SAM)
• 1 KC-135 (destroyed on the ground)
• 2-3 KC-135 (claimed damaged on the ground)
• 1 E-3 AWACS (destroyed on the ground)
• 1 E-3 AWACS (claimed damaged on the ground)
• 2 EC-130H (claimed destroyed on the ground)
• 1 UH-60 Blackhawk (hit by Iraqi FPV drone)
• 1 F-15E (shot down)
• 1 A-10 (shot down over Strait of Hormuz)
• 1 A-10 (damaged & crashed, northern P. Gulf)
• 1 HH-60 (hit and crash-landed in Iraq)
• 1 HH-60 (hit by small arms, damaged)
• 1 CH-47 (hit on the ground, irreparably damaged)
• 2 HC-130 (hit/destroyed on the ground by U.S.)
• 4 MH-6 (destroyed on the ground by U.S.)

There almost certainly notably more losses of aircrafts in Israel & Jordan as well as those in hangars in the Persian Gulf Arab U.S. bases. ➡️ Everyone is invited for corrections, additions and cost calculations in the comments

whoopsie! I was assured that we'd be getting big beautiful , but we're getting horrible nasty instead! how can this be?

https://archive.ph/dV3Sk (seems like the archiver didn't get the whole article here? I assume I'm able to access it from the direct link since I have an extension installed)

“Liberation Year” has not freed American factories

Even the winners from Donald Trump’s trade war are feeling squeezed

https://xcancel.com/Megatron_ron/status/2040815690278699220

According to an informed U.S. military source, not one but four MH-6 ‘Little Bird’ helicopters had to be abandoned and were destroyed at the landing site along with the two C-130s Hercules – ABC News. During the operation, two MQ-9 ‘Reaper’ drones were also shot down.

https://xcancel.com/OAlexanderDK/status/2040844883242447094

I don’t know. But the claim that the departing US forces blew up their HC-130s sounds off. Also, there must be a good reason (other than availability) why Ospreys weren’t used for the extraction. They’re literally built to avoid what’s being claimed.

They didn’t use Ospreys because they decided that they would like the downed WSO and CSAR units to come back alive.

https://xcancel.com/Aelthemplaer/status/2040822714605109698

Spotted flying at low level over western Iran this morning; a C-295W from the USAF’s 427th Special Operations Squadron, a clandestine unit that reportedly specializes in infiltration and exfiltration into enemy territory.

um. why are they still flying search and rescue planes if they recovered the pilot?

flying the entire US airforce bit-by-bit into Iran in an endless chain of rescue of the rescue team who were rescuing the rescue team who were

https://xcancel.com/ripplebrain/status/2040772614457630973

Timeline of "Power Plant Day" deadlines:

• • March 22nd: Trump issues 48-hour deadline
• • March 23rd: Deadline is extended to March 27th
• • March 26th: Deadline is extended to April 6th
• • April 5th: Deadline is extended to April 7th

looking forward to still hearing about Iranian power plants from the Trump-head-in-a-jar in in the 2050s