There were "strong indications" that so-called friendly fire brought down a US Navy F-18C Hornet which was flying a mission over central Iraq on April 3, Captain Frank Thorp told reporters at US Central Command.

The pilot of the single-seat jet was listed as killed in action after the incident.

The US military had said friendly fire may have caused the loss of the plane, from the carrier Kitty Hawk, soon after it disappeared, but Monday's statement by Thorp appeared to firm up the likelihood.

An investigation into the incident is ongoing, officers said here.

A US Patriot was blamed for the loss of a British Tornado warplane and its two crewmen at the start of the US-led war to topple Saddam Hussein.

SPACE.WIRE