Posted on 04/28/2010 4:49:30 PM PDT by boughtwithaprice
An Iranian navy plane that approached a U.S. aircraft carrier last week was flying as low as 300 feet as it neared the USS Eisenhower, U.S. military officials said Wednesday.
The incident, first reported by CNN on Tuesday, came as Iran was beginning a series of military exercises last week meant to show off their military prowess.
The Eisenhower was on duty in the Gulf of Oman in the northern Arabian Sea, in support of the Afghanistan war efforts, when the Iranian maritime patrol aircraft flew within 1,000 yards of the vessel, according to military officials.
While the encounter was not threatening, it was unusual. U.S. navy ships have regularly encountered Iranian aircraft in the Persian Gulf in recent years, but this encounter took place in the Gulf of Oman, in an area where Iranian jets are seen much less frequently, several Navy officials said.
The officials declined to be identified, citing the extremely sensitive nature of any U.S. military interaction with Iranian forces.
(Excerpt) Read more at cnn.com ...
We're not currently engaged in war with Iran. They buzzed us all the time in '06-'07. I saw it with my own eyes on multiple occasions. We didn't shoot them out of the sky then because we knew they weren't a threat. Iran knows there will be severe consequences should they attack one of our carriers. So they don't. They just look around and we'll let them get close but not too close. Chasing them away is good practice for our pilots as well and they can do that without firing a shot.
Hmmmm. Seems like the same lacadaisical attitude that was prevalent pre-9/11 to me. So, during the 06/07 time frame, where our carriers being “buzzed” by actual fighter planes, or drones? I seem to recall reading about drones having buzzed our ships. As for being at war? Yes, we are. Just as we were at war with the Soviet Union during the Cold War. Just because no bombs have yet been droped, doesn’t mean a “war” hasn’t been enjoined. As far as the Iranian leadership is concerned, they ARE at war with America, and have been using propaganda as just one of their means of waging warfare. From what I know of Iraq, Iran has been physically meddling within Iraqi territory, and provided arms (and probably continues to do so) to insurgents. American soldiers have been killed by Iranian weapons, and there is a high degree of suspicion actual Iranian soldiers have participated. These are acts of war. So, I’m not buying into your claim.
Iranian P-3s.
So, I’m not buying into your claim.
Suit yourself.
Bump
Where is it reported that the plane in this instance was a P-3? I also think it important to distinguish the fact that a P-3 is not a fighter aircraft. Nor is a P-3 a jet powered aircraft. However, were the pilot of the P-3 to ram that plane into a U.S. carrier the damage would be extensive. Three seconds would not have been enough time to respond to such an attack.
It’s not about suiting myself. It is about the reality of the times. Whether the U.S. recognizes this or not, Iran is at war with the west. We failed to recognize that we were at war with Islam until 9/11/01. History seems to be repeating.
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Did the pilot show them his e-mail address?
Sometimes they accidentally fell into the water, too. In pieces.
P-3's can carry a range of very destructive weapons, from torps to Harpoons to Tomahawks to the Mark 101 nuclear depth bomb.
I'm sure they can carry Exocet and a variety of East Bloc AS weapons as well.
Perhaps so. That just bolster’s my point that the Navy ROE for enemy aircraft approaching a carrier presently sucks.
Many of the ships of the Stark's class (FFG) have had their Standard missile launchers removed and now rely on Stinger MANPADS for "air defense" ......
They no longer accompany CBG's in areas like the Persian Gulf, not even as plane guards. Only AEGIS-equipped ships are used in screening duties any more, n/w/s all ships since the 70's have had the NTDS system and can coordinate with the guide.
They do accompany Marine MEU's sometimes, but mostly pull "lonely ship" duty out where the fuzzy-wuzzies prowl, coordinating with friendly naval units of similar type in EASTPAC and the Caribbean and the Gulf of Aden, looking for pirates and drug- and people-smugglers and thuggy personalities thumbing a ride from Paki to Somalia and Sudan.
They all play tag out there. Our carriers have been buzzed by Bear Bombers. That is a serious aircraft.
I served over two years at sea aboard the Constellation and the Ranger in two different fighter Squadrons,68 to 72,I have super 8 film I took of Russian bear Bombers Flying right along side our ship,everyone knew they would be coming they even had a name for it ,Operation Brown Bear.
We would launch our alert Five aircraft to intercept them before they were in sight and you could see them as they came over the Horizonquite a sight they are huge and our F4 Phantoms would be right with them every step of the way ,as I said I have the Film
“Does anyone else think this Kenyan is going to get a lot of us killed?”
That’s the point. The question is how many...
“And it wasn’t blown out of the sky because?????”
They were forbidden to fire because were under orders not to fire unless orders to fire were issued directly from the WH...
Yeah, I understand. My question was really rhetorical. The current occupier of the WH will never order an attack against his brethern.
And if his “brethern” attack us, he will be on the golf course and unavailable for comment...
Incorrect. The Iranians have been conducting maritime patrol recon on US vessels for decades. Ever since the US, UK and France put carriers and other vessel into the Gulf they have been regularly checked out by Iranian recon aircraft. Remember this is in most cases international waters.
As already pointed out it has been a regular activity. This is international waters. Both sides conduct recon flights on each others vessels. It has been going on for decades in the Persian Gulf.
In most cases there is radio communications between the Iranian maritime patrol aircraft and the vessel. The vessels transmit a warning broadcast and the Iranian aircraft states its intention. Such activity has been going on for decades and that is why many ex and serving military freepers find it puzzling that this story even made the news.
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