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Super Hornet close call with Iranian MANPADS
Released on Mar. 26, 2026 the video in this post features a US Navy F/A-18E/F Super Hornet strike fighter narrowly avoiding what is likely an Iranian a man-portable air-defense system (MANPADS) launched from the ground while it was conducting a strafing run during Operation Epic Fury. The footage highlights that Iran’s remaining air defense systems are still a persistent threat to US forces.
US military media stated that the video was taken over Chabahar Port, near Iran’s eastern coast and close to Pakistan. Since the early stages of Operation Epic Fury, this area has faced intense US airstrikes. If US fighter pilots need to eject in emergencies its proximity to the sea allows for relatively easier search-and-rescue operations.
US Navy fighters strafed ground targets by means of their M61A1 Vulcan cannon near Iran’s coastal areas last week. The sharp firing sounds of the cannons and smoke rising from the ammunition could be seen in the strafing runs captured in social media footages.
By watching at the video featured in this post the Super Hornet turns left before the missile enters the pilot field of view but remains unclear if upon detecting the threat the pilot executed an evasive maneuver or he was unaware of it. It is also difficult to confirm if the fighter deployed flares.
Then the missile later exploded behind the Super Hornet, leaving debris.
US losses during Operation Epic Fury
The Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) claimed the strike fighter crashed into the Indian Ocean. An IRGC statement was quoted by the Iranian Fars News Agency: “The enemy’s F-18 fighter was precisely struck by a missile launched by the IRGC Navy’s latest advanced air defense system under the command of the national integrated air defense network and crashed into the sky over Chabahar.”
The US Central Command (CENTCOM) refuted IRGC’s the fighter as “fake news” on Twitter X.
As already reported, on Mar. 19, a US Air Force F-35A pilot was wounded by shrapnel after his aircraft was hit by Iranian fire. After the incident Iranian state media released a video showing one of its air defense systems hitting the F-35. The clip, featuring an interface consistent with Iranian EO/IR systems, has been widely circulated; open-source analysts note it does not appear to be AI-generated, though full authenticity remains unverified by independent sources.
If confirmed, the video would show the moment the USAF F-35A on a mission during Operation Epic Fury is hit by an air defense system (a Qaem-118 missile?) of the IRGC.
The F-35A hit followed 5 KC-135s damaged in Iranian Attack Saudi Air Base on Mar. 13, one KC-135 lost in Iraq and one damaged that safely landed in Israel on Mar. 12 and three F-15E Strike Eagles shot down by friendly fire of a Kuwaiti F/A-18 on Mar. 2. Several MQ-9 Reaper drones have been lost during Operation Epic Fury too.
Man-Portable Air Defense Systems
Man-Portable Air Defense Systems (MANPADS) are surface-to-air missiles that can be carried and fired by a single individual or carried by several individuals and fired by more than one person acting as a crew. Most MANPADS consist of: 1) a missile packaged in a tube; 2) a launching mechanism (commonly known as a “gripstock”); and 3) a battery. The tubes, which protect the missile until it has been fired, are disposable. Rudimentary sights are mounted on the tube. A single-use battery is typically used to power the missile prior to launch.
According to Arms Control Association, three general types of MANPADS exist: command line of sight, laser guided, and infra-red seekers. Command line-of-sight MANPADS are guided to their targets through the use of a remote control. Laser-guided or laser beam rider MANPADS follow a laser projected onto the target. The most common MANPADS, frequently called heat seeking missiles, however, are infrared seekers that acquire their target by detecting the heat of an aircraft’s engine. They are considered the easiest to operate and include the Soviet-era Strela, and Igla weapons which was fielded after the collapse of the Soviet Union, as well as the U.S. Stinger. Today average MANPADS can reach a target from a distance of 3.2 miles, which means commercial aircraft are most vulnerable during periods of takeoff and landing.
