At long last, the F-35 has achieved its first true air-to-air kill in the aircraft’s history during Operation Epic Fury. A squadron of F-35s reportedly engaged and took down multiple MiG-29s shortly after the strikes against Iran, marking a pivotal moment for this new generation of jets.
U.S. F-35s intercepted and shot down a group of Iranian MiG-29s that launched from Mazariyeh Air Base at the outset of the strikes.
Hope to get footage soon.
— Open Source Intel (@Osint613) February 28, 2026
Imagine being the dude in this Mig-29, aimlessly flying around waiting to be shot down by an American jet you’ll never know was there.
pic.twitter.com/Ck519IbXQg
— Bonchie (@bonchieredstate) February 28, 2026
BREAKING: US F35s hunted and shot down a number of Iranian Mig-29 fighter jets that launched when strikes begun.
— WarMonitor???? (@WarMonitor3) February 28, 2026
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The F-35 had not yet achieved a kill against an enemy aircraft, with both American and Israeli operators having only used it to target drones so far. No footage of any aerial engagements has been released to date, and it remains unclear how many MiG-29s the F-35s may have destroyed.
Equipped with the latest air-to-air missiles, the F-35 variants, such as the AIM-120 family, can engage targets at distances of up to an estimated 100 miles. The unfortunate MiG-29s may not have even realized they were being targeted.
The iconic F-22 Raptor also still has not scored a kill, but we will see if that changes as Operation Fury continues over the next few days. Let’s just hope that the Iranians allow their F-14s to meet their fate with dignity.
