This F/A-18E fired a AIM-9 and AIM-120 to down the Syrian Su-22

Social media reports said U.S. Navy F/A-18E BuNo. 168914 from VFA-87 was involved in the shooting down of a Syrian Su-22 on Jun. 18.

By Alan Wilson from Stilton, Peterborough, Cambs, UK (Boeing F/A-18E Super Hornet ‘168914 / AJ-304’) [CC BY-SA 2.0], via Wikimedia Commons

According to CNN, the pilot fired a AIM-9 but the dogfight missile was decoyed away by flares from the Su-22. The naval aviator switched to AIM-120 to shot down the Soviet-made jet.

The U.S. Navy said the pair of Super Hornets were flying near the town of Ja’Din, just south of Tabqah, Syria when they spotted the Syrian Su-22 approaching with weapons on the wings pylons. They made a head-butt maneuver, fired flares to try to get the Syrian jet to leave the scene.

However, the Su-22 proceed to drop its munitions and the Americans then took the step to shot it down.