Gen. Ken Wilsbach, commander of the US Air Force’s Air Combat Command, has issued a powerful statement about the rescue operation that brought home the two crew members of the F-15 that went down over Iran.
He said the mission reflected one of the most important principles of the US military: no aircrew member is ever left behind.
According to Wilsbach, the combat search-and-rescue mission to recover the pilot and the weapon systems officer was one of the most impressive operations he has witnessed in 40 years of service. He praised the survival skills shown by the two airmen as they evaded capture deep in enemy territory, and he highlighted the close coordination between US special operations forces and rescue teams that carried out critical strikes and the extraction mission under extremely dangerous conditions.
Wilsbach added that the operation demonstrated clear US air superiority and the decisive capabilities of the American military. He stressed that the enemy had no chance against the combined force brought to bear in the mission, and said he could not be more proud of the Air Force, the joint force, and everyone involved in the operation.
