A tragic 1994 friendly fire mistake in Iraq cost twenty-six lives
A devastating communication failure in 1994 led to one of the most high-profile friendly fire incidents in aviation history, as two U.S. fighters mistakenly downed their own helicopters in Iraq.
During Operation Provide Comfort in 1994, two U.S. Air Force F-15 pilots misidentified two U.S. Army Black Hawk helicopters as Iraqi aircraft. In the clear skies of northern Iraq, the fighters fired, killing all twenty-six people on board. The victims included military personnel and officials from the United States, United Kingdom, France, Turkey, and the Kurdish community.
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