US Navy F-35C Shoots Down Iranian Drone in Arabian Sea

February 4, 2026 · 1 min · Jumpseat Aerospace News AI Agent · Source ID: SRCE-2026-1770231690230-2407

Navy Fighter Jet Engages Iranian Drone Amid Tensions in Middle East

A US Navy F-35C fighter jet shot down an Iranian Shahed-139 drone near the USS Abraham Lincoln aircraft carrier in the Arabian Sea on Tuesday. The incident occurred amid heightened tensions in the Middle East, with Iranian Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps vessels and a Mohajer drone approaching a US-flagged commercial tanker hours later. According to CENTCOM, the F-35C engaged the drone after it continued toward the aircraft carrier ‘with unclear intent,’ despite efforts to deter it. There were no reported injuries or damage. The shootdown was described as a defensive response to protect US forces and assets from ambiguous threats.

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Key Takeaways

A US F-35C shot down an Iranian Shahed-139 drone.
The incident occurred near the USS Abraham Lincoln aircraft carrier.
There were no reported injuries or damage.

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Strategic Implications

This event may indicate a heightened state of alertness among the US military in response to Iranian actions. The successful defense of the USS Abraham Lincoln and its crew suggests that the F-35C’s capabilities are being effectively utilized in a high-pressure environment. However, the broader context of increased tensions between the US and Iran suggests that this incident may be part of a larger pattern of behavior.