A US fighter pilot shot down over Iran during the recent conflict reported seeing a bizarre formation of drones resembling a jellyfish moments before ejecting from his aircraft, according to a CNN report citing sources familiar with the matter.
The F-15 pilot allegedly described multiple Iranian drones hovering in the air and moving in unison, with smaller drones positioned beneath larger ones "like legs." One source familiar with the pilot's account told CNN the formation looked like "real alien sh*t," while another described it as a "minefield of drones."
The sighting was reportedly shared with US intelligence officials during a post-rescue debriefing and sparked debate within the intelligence community over whether Iran may possess a previously unknown drone capability.
Iranian forces shot down the US Air Force F-15E Strike Eagle jet in early April.
According to CNN, some early assessments suggested the drone formation may have played a role in the downing of the aircraft, although the exact cause remains under investigation.
The pilot was rescued by US special forces hours after ejecting. The aircraft's weapons systems officer reportedly evaded capture in mountainous terrain for more than a day before being recovered. It remains unclear whether the second crew member also witnessed the drone formation.
‘One-to-many meshed networking’
CNN reported that intelligence officials debated how to interpret the pilot's account and whether he could clearly recall the incident. The pilot had suffered a concussion in the crash and had previously survived another shootdown earlier in the conflict, according to the report.
Sources told CNN the capability described by the pilot resembles what is known as "one-to-many meshed networking," a technology that allows multiple drones to operate in coordination.
While US intelligence agencies had not previously assessed Iran as possessing such a capability, CNN reported that officials have examined indications of Iranian cooperation with China and Russia on drone technology.
Emma Bates, a drone warfare and defence modernisation expert and founder of Cachai, told CNN that advanced drone swarms capable of maintaining coordinated formations could significantly enhance military effectiveness and pose new challenges for air defence systems.
The reported sighting comes as Washington and Tehran continue negotiations aimed at ending the conflict, following the announcement of a 60-day ceasefire window last week.
