[spetznaz]

I fully agree. It doesn't add any value for the article to include the name of the pilot. Now, it will almost certainly not result in a bad outcome for the pilot (I doubt Iran will send folk after a pilot for shooting down a drone), but it worries me when some journalists release the names/units of elite fighters who participated in some (formerly) clandestine priority mission. Such missions should remain secret, and if they really have to be disseminated to the public, then the names of the actors in the missions (as well as the tactics/gear they used) don't have to be revealed.

This includes as well the 'tell all' books some of these elite fighters release. They are very interesting reads, but they also provide a lot of information that may not be fully kosher

[sukhoi-30mki]

I honestly think this is a PR article for the U.S. military. The likes of Reuters rarely get a scoop of this nature unless allowed access by the U.S. government.

The article itself says that the base from which missions were flown is classified (at the host nation’s request); unless we assume the journalist was blindfolded and taken there, the article has probably hidden more than it reveals.

And most likely the pilot’s name and details were released with his consent.