Article on CNN: http://www.cnn.com/2017/06/21/politics/us-syria-russia-dogfight/index.html
Highlights:
- It was a pair of U.S. Navy F/A-18E Super Hornets
- They were operating from the carrier USS George H. W. Bush
- They fired an AIM-9 Sidewinder at half a mile away
- Syrian Su-22 deployed defensive flares causing the U.S. missile to miss.
- They then fire an AIM-120 AMRAAM which hit the Su-22.
- Syrian pilot ejected and probably landed in ISIL-controlled territory. Syria states that he is missing.
According to an email sent to me from sources that I cannot confirm the veracity of:
According to a source in the Syrian Arab Air Force (SyAAF), Lieutenant Colonel Ali Fahd took off in the afternoon of June 18 from the T4 airbase east of Homs. We know that the warplane is a Soviet made ground attack Su-22M4 with the serial number “3224”.
According to our source the Su-22M4 was loaded with six general purpose OFAB 250-270 bombs. Ali Fahd’s mission was to strike ISIS fighters and vehicles attempting to withdrew from Rusafah in the province of Raqqah towards Sukhnah in the province of Homs and Oqerbat in the eastern Hama countryside – near Ali Fahd’s home town of Salamyiah. Connection with Ali Fahd was lost after reaching the operation area over Rusafah.
According to Ali Fahd’s relative Al-Masdar News reporter, Majd Fahed, Ali Fahd was captured by the SDF and Tiger Forces Leader General Suheil Al-Hassan is negotiating with SDF in order to free Ali Fahd.
The SDF side has released no official comments on the situation. However, SDF sources confirmed that Ali Fahd was captured by the SDF suggesting that the group will release him in the end.