Viral video of Iran downing US helicopter was generated by AI

US President Donald Trump said on June 9 that Iran had shot down a US Army Apache attack helicopter while it was on patrol over the Strait of Hormuz.

The following day, a pro-government Iranian online user shared a video on X allegedly showing the destruction of the aircraft. The clip garnered more than 5 million views. 

The video appears to show an Iranian soldier targeting a helicopter with a MANPADS, a "man-portable" air defence system that launches surface-to-air missiles. The missile hits the helicopter, which then explodes to cheers from soldiers watching the scene.

“Iran used a weapon worth one hundred and fifty dollars to shoot down a billion-dollar American military aircraft. For the first time, America had met its true adversary,” wrote the social media user who shared the video. 

Iranian soldier wearing a US flag

The video, however, is a fake. It contains several inconsistencies, suggesting it was generated by artificial intelligence. For instance, while the soldier is supposedly a member of the Iranian military, he is wearing an insignia with the US flag on his right shoulder.  The soldier allegedly shooting down the helicopter is wearing an insignia with the US flag.

Another discrepancy is that the soldier's weapon does not match any known defence system in the Iranian military's arsenal.

The missile launcher's grip and targeting system shown in the video differ from those of MANPADS models used by the Iranian armed forces, such as the Misagh-1, Misagh-2, Misagh-3, or Igla. For instance, the Misagh-1 is equipped with two grips, whereas the launcher in the video only has one. Comparison between the MANPADS visible in the video (left) and the Misagh-1 used by the Iranian army (right). Differences can be seen in the handles of the two models.

Different silhouettes

The final anomaly lies in the silhouette of the downed helicopter. The aircraft in the AI-generated video doesn't match the profile of a real Apache, which features a highly distinctive silhouette easily spotted from afar. This is clearly visible in a photo captured during a 2024 US Army flight demonstration in Chicago. The top image is a screenshot of the AI-generated video. Below are several Apache helicopters captured during the Chicago Air and Water Show in August 2024.

The actual aircraft features engines on both the left and right sides of its fuselage that are square-shaped when viewed from the front – details missing from the AI-generated video.

Furthermore, a real Apache is equipped with four distinct weapon hardpoints, two on each side, whereas the aircraft in the AI video only displays two.

Finally, the social media user's claim that the downed military Apache helicopter was worth “a billion dollars” is completely inaccurate. While the Apache is indeed a costly and sophisticated attack helicopter, US Department of Defense documents indicate that its unit cost ranges between $26 million and just over $38 million (approximately €22.5 million to €33 million).

This article has been translated from the original in French.