Exclusive: RAF Pilot Makes History Shooting Down Iranian Drones After F-35 Drill
An unnamed RAF fighter pilot has made history by shooting down two Iranian drones over Jordan, marking the first operational target destruction by a British F-35B pilot. The ace celebrated the life-saving attack with a cold Keo beer at sunrise in Cyprus, following a four-hour training mission that turned into real combat.
High-Stakes Mission Over Jordan
The pilot, who remains anonymous for security reasons, was flying his F-35B alongside two Typhoon jets when radar detected two Shahed drones in Jordanian airspace. He swiftly homed in on the targets and fired Amraam air-to-air missiles, pulverising the enemy drones and blowing them out of the sky. Speaking about the incident for the first time, he described it as "like training" but emphasised the critical need for positive identification before engaging.
"You are kind of more concerned about making sure you've shot the right thing," he said. "Making sure you positioned the aircraft in the right places. It's not a euphoric sense of success, I suppose. I just get out the way and get back on to doing the job again."
Context of Rising Tensions
The mission occurred amid heightened tensions, with RAF Akrotiri in Cyprus having been struck by a drone just a day before, damaging a hangar housing two US U2 spy planes. The pilot acknowledged the high stakes, noting that drones are "so small and difficult to detect" and that turning to engage them means radar coverage is temporarily lost on potential follow-up threats.
He explained that the drones he shot down were "very different" from the kamikaze-style one-way attack drone that hit RAF Akrotiri, though he did not elaborate on the distinctions. Thousands of troops at the base remain on high alert for incoming drones or missiles, with no room for error.
Celebration and Operational Demands
When asked about celebrating the downing of the drones, the pilot revealed: "We had one beer at sunrise and then I had to go to bed because I was on duty the next day. We're kind of a pretty high operational tempo at the moment. So, when this is all over, whenever it ends, then I'm sure we'll celebrate appropriately."
The UK, along with allies like France and Greece, has vowed to strengthen anti-drone defences in response to the ongoing threats. Defence Secretary John Healey recently met the F-35 pilot, underscoring the strategic importance of such operations in the region.
This historic engagement highlights the evolving nature of modern aerial warfare, where advanced stealth aircraft like the F-35B are tested against asymmetric threats like inexpensive drones, requiring pilots to balance precision, speed, and caution in high-pressure scenarios.
