This feels like someone in the DOD took personal offense to the F15s legendary undeafted streak and wants as many blown up as possible.

That's what, at least 4 F15s destroyed in the past month? For those unaware or aren't into Ace Combat, the F15 has a pop culture reputation as the most bad ass jet fighter ever made. It had never been shot down before this year. From memory, it's capable of going supersonic vertically, it's the only fighter with a kill against a satellite, it's technically been in space a few times, it has a recorded kill against a helicopter using an unguided bomb, and the most famous is probably the time a pilot managed to land while missing an entire wing. Also yes most of the "badass" incidents were done by Isr*ali pilots so American pilots ruining its reputation right before it should be retired is some kind of poetic justice I can't describe.

In any case, death to America, death to Israel.