When flying throughout the Persian Gulf these days, aircraft are required to communicate with local Air Traffic Control AND to provide the Iranian Air Defense Radar a ten-minute heads up if they will be flying, briefly, through Iranian airspace.
Recently, a commercial airline pilot overheard this conversation on the VHF Guard while flying from Europe to Dubai. The conversation went like this...
Iranian Air Defense Radar: "Unknown aircraft! Unknown aircraft! You are in Iranian airspace. Identify yourself immediately."
Response: "This is a United States aircraft, and I am in Iraqi, repeat Iraqi, not Iranian, airspace. Over."
Iranian Air Defense Radar: "You are in Iranian airspace, sir. If you do not immediately change course to depart our airspace we will launch interceptor aircraft!"
Response: "This is a United States Marine Corps F/A-18. Send 'em up. I'll wait around."
Iranian Air Defense Radar: (no response)
Friday, April 17
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