CBS's 60 Minutes aired declassified footage of the rescue of a downed US F-15E crew from inside Iran. While the network referred to the weapons officer as 'Bravo' to protect his identity, it showed his face, leading to online identification as Colonel Jonathan Bott, a former fighter squadron commander.
Following the broadcast of declassified footage on CBS's 60 Minutes, the identity of the US F-15E weapons systems officer known by the callsign 'Bravo' has been revealed as Colonel Jonathan Bott, a former fighter squadron commander. CBS referred to him by the pseudonym to protect his identity but showed his face, enabling online identification. The pilot, identified as 'Alpha,' was extracted eight hours after ejecting. The weapons officer, with a broken back, scaled a 700-foot ridge to evade Iranian forces before being rescued 50 hours after his ejection, in an operation involving 21 aircraft and over 90 special operations personnel, according to Israeli media reports.
The rescue mission followed the downing of the F-15E during 'Operation Epic Fury' in April 2026. According to the broadcast, the navigator survived a high-speed crash at an estimated 110–160 km/h, suffering broken bones and severe lacerations. He spent two days alone behind enemy lines before US special forces reached him.
As The Zioneer reported on Monday, the declassified investigation by 60 Minutes shed new light on the high-stakes operation deep inside Iranian territory. The identity confirmation adds a human dimension to the story of survival and military resolve.
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