US loses two Black Hawks and a C-130 in pilot rescue attempt
The rescue operation for the F-15 pilot downed over Iran cost two Black Hawks and a C-130, but were they shot down or self-destructed? An analysis of the figures and strategy.
English · Original discussion in Spanish · Published
The failed rescue in Iran: two Black Hawks and a C-130 lost
The operation to rescue the pilot of an F-15 shot down over Iran has cost the United States two Black Hawk helicopters and a C-130 transport aircraft, according to the Iranian military command. But what looks like a tactical defeat conceals an extraction operation that, according to military sources, included the self-destruction of the aircraft to prevent their capture. The economic cost of the war in its first six days stands at 11.3 billion dollars, at a rate of 1.9 billion per day.
The cost of the mission
The bill for the operation itself is modest compared with the overall spending on the conflict. An F-15 costs around 80 million dollars, the two Black Hawks around 20 million each and the C-130 around 21 million, adding up to 142 million. However, the daily cost of the war exceeds 1.9 billion dollars, equivalent to 11,500 dollars per second. Part of the analysis argues that these figures are unsustainable in the long run, while another school of thought points out that the United States can afford it, since that spending generates domestic jobs.
Shot down or self-destructed?
The Iranian version claims that the helicopters and the aircraft were shot down during the rescue attempt. However, a detailed analysis of the wreckage suggests they were destroyed on the ground by the US military themselves. The operation would have involved landing the C-130s on Iranian territory, deploying MH-6 helicopters with their folding wings to pick up the pilot, and then blowing up the aircraft with explosive charges so they would not fall into enemy hands. An Airbus C-295 built in Seville would have taken part in extracting the personnel.
The message to the troops
"Never leave a comrade behind" is the motto that justifies these high-risk operations. The loss of equipment is considered acceptable if a pilot's life is saved, in this case a squadron commander colonel. The downside is that it strengthens enemy propaganda, although the controlled destruction of the equipment prevents any intelligence from being obtained from it. The question that remains: how far is the United States willing to go to rescue a single man, and at what price?
Related discussions in the forum
The operation to rescue the pilot of an F-15 shot down over Iran has cost the United States two Black Hawk helicopters and a C-130 transport aircraft, according to the Iranian military command. But what looks like a tactical defeat conceals an extraction operation that, according to military sources, included the self-destruction of the aircraft to prevent their capture. The economic cost of the war in its first six days stands at 11.3 billion dollars, at a rate of 1.9 billion per day.
The cost of the mission
The bill for the operation itself is modest compared with the overall spending on the conflict. An F-15 costs around 80 million dollars, the two Black Hawks around 20 million each and the C-130 around 21 million, adding up to 142 million. However, the daily cost of the war exceeds 1.9 billion dollars, equivalent to 11,500 dollars per second. Part of the analysis argues that these figures are unsustainable in the long run, while another school of thought points out that the United States can afford it, since that spending generates domestic jobs.
Shot down or self-destructed?
The Iranian version claims that the helicopters and the aircraft were shot down during the rescue attempt. However, a detailed analysis of the wreckage suggests they were destroyed on the ground by the US military themselves. The operation would have involved landing the C-130s on Iranian territory, deploying MH-6 helicopters with their folding wings to pick up the pilot, and then blowing up the aircraft with explosive charges so they would not fall into enemy hands. An Airbus C-295 built in Seville would have taken part in extracting the personnel.
The message to the troops
"Never leave a comrade behind" is the motto that justifies these high-risk operations. The loss of equipment is considered acceptable if a pilot's life is saved, in this case a squadron commander colonel. The downside is that it strengthens enemy propaganda, although the controlled destruction of the equipment prevents any intelligence from being obtained from it. The question that remains: how far is the United States willing to go to rescue a single man, and at what price?
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Summary of a discussion on Burbuja.info - Foro de economía, actualidad y política., translated from Spanish and reviewed before publication. Read the full discussion (50 replies).
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