List of combat losses of United States military aircraft since the Vietnam War

This is a list of notable fixed-wing military air combat losses since the end of the Vietnam War grouped by the year that the loss occurred. This list is intended for military aircraft lost due to enemy action during combat. For military aircraft lost due to accidental causes, refer to the list of notable incidents and accidents involving military aircraft. For civil aircraft losses, refer to List of accidents and incidents involving commercial aircraft.

1983 (Multinational Force in Lebanon)

• December 4 – An A-6 Intruder (Bureau Number : 152915)^[1] and an A-7 Corsair II (Bureau Number : 157468)^[2] were shot down while attacking Syrian army's SAM batteries in Lebanon in the mountains east of Beirut by Syrian 9K31 Strela-1 or Strela 2 infrared homing missiles. The pilot of the A-6, Lieutenant Mark Lange^[3] (flying from USS John F. Kennedy), was killed; his Bombardier/Navigator, Lieutenant Bobby Goodman, ejected and was captured by Syrian soldiers. Lt. Goodman was held for 30 days before his release was facilitated by Jesse Jackson. Lt. Lange's body was returned. From the A-7, Commander Edward Andrews managed to guide his failing Corsair over coastal waters before ejecting; he was rescued by a Lebanese fishing boat and safely returned to the U.S. Marines.^[4]

1986 (Operation El Dorado Canyon)

• April 15 – An F-111F Aardvark (Serial Number : 70-2389)^[5] was shot down by anti-aircraft artillery (AAA) over Libya. The pilot (Major Fernando L. Ribas-Dominicci)^[6] and Weapon Systems Officer (Captain Paul F. Lorence)^[7] were killed. Major Ribas-Dominicci's body was returned to the US in 1989. Captain Lorence's body was never found. He is still listed as killed in action, body not recovered (KIA-BNR).

1991 (Operation Desert Shield/Desert Storm)

• January 17 – An F/A-18C Hornet (Bureau Number : 163484) was shot down by an Iraqi Mig-25 in an air-to-air engagement. The pilot (Lieutenant Commander Michael Scott Speicher) of VFA-81 was killed but his body was not found until July 2009.
• January 17 – An A-6E Intruder (Bureau Number : 161668) was shot down by a surface-to-air missile. The pilot (Lieutenant Robert Wetzel) and navigator/bombardier (Lieutenant Jeffrey Norton Zaun) were captured. They were released on March 3.
• January 17 – An F-15E Strike Eagle (Serial Number : 88-1689) was shot down by anti-aircraft artillery (AAA). The pilot (Major Thomas F. Koritz) and WSO (Lieutenant Colonel Donnie R. Holland) were killed. Their bodies were recovered.
• January 18 – An A-6E Intruder (Bureau Number : 152928) was shot down by anti-aircraft artillery two miles from the Iraqi shore after dropping mines on a waterway linking the Iraqi naval base of Umm Qasr with the Persian Gulf. The pilot (Lieutenant William Thomas Costen) and navigator/bombardier (Lieutenant Charlie Turner) were killed. Their bodies were recovered.^[8]
• January 18 – An OV-10 Bronco (Bureau Number : 155435) was shot down by surface-to-air missile. The pilot (Lieutenant Colonel Clifford M. Acree) and observer (Chief Warrant Officer Guy L. Hunter, Jr.) were captured. They were released on March 6.
• January 18 – An F-4G Wild Weasel (Serial Number : 69-7571) crashed in the Saudi Arabian desert after attacking Iraqi air defenses. An investigation found that a single enemy 23mm anti-aircraft artillery (AAA) round had punctured the fuel tank, causing fuel starvation. Both pilots ejected over friendly territory and were rescued.^[9]
• January 19 – An F-15E Strike Eagle (Serial Number : 88-1692) was shot down by a V-750AK (SA-2E) surface-to-air missile. The pilot (Colonel David W. Eberly) and WSO (Major Thomas E. Griffith) were captured. They were released on March 6 and March 3 respectively.
• January 19 – An F-16C Fighting Falcon (Serial Number : 87-0228) was shot down by a 2K12 Kub (SA-6) surface-to-air missile. The pilot (Captain Harry 'Mike' Roberts) was captured. He was released on March 6.^[10]
• January 19 – An F-16C Fighting Falcon (Serial Number : 87-0257) was shot down by a S-125 (SA-3) surface-to-air missile. The pilot (Major Jeffrey Scott Tice) was captured. He was released on March 6.^[11]
• January 21 – An F-14A+ Tomcat (Bureau Number : 161430) was shot down by a V-750AK (SA-2E) surface-to-air missile while on an escort mission near Al Asad airbase in Iraq. The pilot (Lieutenant Devon Jones) was rescued by USAF Special Operations Forces but the RIO (Lieutenant Larry Slade) was captured. He remained a POW until his release on March 3.
• January 24 – An AV-8B Harrier II (Bureau Number : 163518) was shot down by MANPADS. The pilot (Captain Michael C. Berryman) was captured. He was released on March 6.^[12]
• January 31 – An AC-130H Spectre (Serial Number : 69-6567) was shot down by a surface-to-air missile during the battle of Khafji. The entire crew of fourteen were killed. Their bodies were recovered.
• February 2 – An A-6E Intruder (Bureau Number : 155632) was shot down by anti-aircraft artillery (AAA). The pilot (Lieutenant Commander Barry T. Cooke) and navigator/bombardier (Lieutenant Junior Grade Patrick K. Connor) were killed. Only LTJG Connor's body was recovered as LCDR Cooke's body was never found (officially listed as KIA-BNR).
• February 2 – An A-10A Thunderbolt II (Serial Number : 80-0248) was shot down by an Igla-1 (SA-16) surface-to-air missile. The pilot (Captain Richard Dale Storr) was captured. He was released on March 6.^[13]
• February 5 – An F/A-18A Hornet (Bureau Number : 163096) crashed in the Persian Gulf. The pilot (Lieutenant Robert Dwyer) was lost over the North Persian Gulf after a successful mission to Iraq. Lieutenant Robert Dwyer served in Carrier Air Wing 8 (CVW-8). His body was never recovered (officially listed as KIA-BNR).^[14]
• February 9 – An AV-8B Harrier II (Bureau Number : 162081) was shot down by a surface-to-air missile. The pilot (Captain Russell A.C. Sanborn) was captured. He was released on March 6.
• February 15 - An A-10A Thunderbolt II (Serial Number : 78-0722) AAA ground fire 60 miles north west of Kuwait city while attacking Republican Guard targets. Thought to have been engaged by SA-13 Gopher SAM. Pilot Lt Robert Sweet ejected and made Prisoner of War. He was released on March 6.^[15][16]
• February 15 – An A-10A Thunderbolt II (Serial Number : 79-0130) Hit by ground fire approx 60 miles northwest of Kuwait city while attacking Republican Guard targets. Thought to have been engaged by SA-13 Gopher SAM. Pilot Captain Steven Phyllis killed in action. Captain Steve Phyllis died while protecting his downed wingman, 1st Lieutenant Robert James Sweet. His body was later recovered.^[17]
• February 19 – An OA-10A Thunderbolt II (Serial Number : 76-0543) was shot down by an Strela-1 (SA-9) surface-to-air missile 62 nm North West of Kuwait city. Pilot Lt Col Jeffery Fox (40 from Fall River, Mass) call sign "NAIL53" injured as he ejected, captured as POW and released March 6.^[18]
• February 22 – An A-10A Thunderbolt II (Serial Number : 79-0181) Wheels up, hard stick landing after being hit by a SAM. Captain Biley brought 79-0181 in at King Khalid Military City, Forward Operating Location 1 where the CLSS team stripped it of parts, some sent to King Fahd International Airport, Main Operating Base for use on other birds, and then buried it in the desert. Captain Biley was unhurt during the crash.^[19]
• February 23 – An AV-8B Harrier II (Bureau Number : 161573) crashed when it failed to recover from a high angle dive during a night attack on a tank park in Ali Al Salem, Kuwait, possibly hit by AAA or a MANPADS. The pilot (Captain James N. Wilbourn) was killed and his body was later recovered.
• February 25 – An AV-8B Harrier II (Bureau Number : 163190) hit by MANPADS, crashed while trying to land land at Al Jaber airfield, Kuwait. The pilot ejected safely.^[20]
• February 25 – An OV-10 Bronco (Bureau Number : 155424) was shot down by surface-to-air missile. The pilot (Major Joseph Small III) was captured and observer (Captain David Spellacy) was killed. Major Small was released on March 6 and Captain Spellacy's body was recovered.
• February 27 – An AV-8B Harrier II (Bureau Number : 162740) was shot down by MANPADS. The pilot (Captain Reginald Underwood) was killed and his body was later recovered.^[21]
• February 27 – An OA-10A Thunderbolt II (Serial Number : 77-0197) crashed killing pilot Lieutenant Patrick Olson (posthumously promoted to Captain) after a reconnaissance mission over Kuwait on 27 Feb 1991, call sign NAIL 51. Aircraft had been hit by surface-to-air missile and was attempting a landing at KKMC FOL in Manual Reversion after losing all its hydraulics, in extreme weather conditions and with only one engine.^[22]
• February 27 – An F-16C Fighting Falcon (Serial Number : 84-1390) was shot down by an Igla-1 (SA-16) MANPADS. The pilot (Captain William Andrews) was captured. He was released on March 6.^[23]

1995 (Operation Deny Flight)

• June 2 – An F-16C Fighting Falcon (Serial Number : 89-2032) was shot down by a Serb 2K12 Kub SAM (NATO reporting name: SA-6 'Gainful') while on patrol over Bosnia. Its pilot (Captain Scott O'Grady) ejected and later rescued by a USMC CH-53 Sea Stallion helicopter on 8 June.^[24]

1999 (Operation Allied Force)

• March 27 – An F-117 Nighthawk (Serial Number : 82-0806) stealth ground-attack jet was shot down by a Yugoslav SA-3 surface-to-air missile during the Kosovo War; the pilot (Lieutenant Colonel Dale Zelko) survived and was subsequently rescued.
• May 1 – An F-16C Fighting Falcon (Serial Number : 88-0550) was shot down by a Yugoslav SA-3 SAM. The aircraft crashed near Šabac, in a rural area of Serbia; the pilot (Lieutenant Colonel David L. Goldfein) survived and was subsequently rescued.^[25]

2001– (Operation Enduring Freedom/ISAF)

• List of aviation accidents and incidents in the War in Afghanistan

2003–2011 (Operation Iraqi Freedom/New Dawn)

• List of aviation shootdowns and accidents during the Iraq War

See also

Aircraft losses of the Vietnam War

References

• Official Desert Storm Prisoner/Missing List
• POW/MIA Gulf War Index
• Coalition Aircraft Combat Attrition from Desert Storm
• F-16 site