Iran loses its only AWACS as Ahmadinejad threatens the world

[SurfaceUnits]

September 23, 2009, 12:20 PM (GMT+02:00)


Iran's AWACS destroyed in parade collision

Up above a big military parade in Tehran on Tuesday, Sept. 22, as Iranian president declared Iran's armed forces would "chop off the hands" of any power daring to attack his country, two air force jets collided in mid-air. One was Iran's only airborne warning and control system (AWACS) for coordinating long-distance aerial operations, DEBKAfile's military and Iranian sources disclose.

The proud military parade, which included a march-past, a line of Shehab-3 missiles and an air force fly-past, was planned to give Ahmadinejad a dazzling send-off for New York and add steel to his UN Assembly speech Wednesday.

Dubbed "Simorgh" (a flying creature of Iranian fable which performs wonders in mid-flight), the AWACS' appearance, escorted by fighter jets, was to have been the climax for the Iranian Air force's fly-past over the parade. Instead, it collided with one of escorting planes, a US-made F-5E, and both crashed to the ground in flames. All seven crewmen were killed.

Eye witnesses reported that the flaming planes landed on the mausoleum burial site of the Islamic revolution's founder Ruhollah Khomeini, a national shrine. According to Western observers, no distress signals came from either cockpit indicating that the collision and explosions were sudden and fast.

DEBKAfile's military sources say the disaster was a serious blow to the Iranian Air Force not long after its first and only AWACS went into service in April 2008. It was a renovated version of the Russian Ilyushin 76, part of Saddam Hussein's air force before it was transferred to Iran in 1991 during the first Gulf War.

Tehran hired Russian technicians to carry out renovations and install up-to-date radar. At the launching ceremony of the upgraded AWACS, Air Force commander Brig. Gen. Ahmad Miqani boasted its new radar systems were made in Iran and able to spot any airplane or missile at a distance of 1,000 kilometers from Iran's borders.

The loss of this airborne control system has left Iran's air force and air and missile defenses without "electronic eyes" for surveillance of the skies around its borders.

[SteveH]

chock full of karma

[SurfaceUnits]

U.S. expands Global Missile Shield into Middle East and Balkans

"Missile shield radar bases in Britain and Norway and projected missile deployments in Poland and an X-band radar site in the Czech Republic will cover Russia's west, and comparable sites in Alaska and Japan will confront Russia (as well as China) to its east."

Toward the latter half of last month the Polish daily Gazeta Wyborcza, "citing officials and lobbyists in Washington," revealed that the Pentagon would deemphasize planned interceptor missile deployments in Poland and a complementary missile radar site in the Czech Republic and instead shift global missile shield plans to Israel, Turkey and the Balkans [1]

"Washington is now looking for alternative locations including in the Balkans, Israel and Turkey...." [2]

The news came a week after it was reported that at the annual Space and Missile Defense Conference hosted by the Pentagon's Missile Defense Agency in Huntsville, Alabama the Chicago-based Boeing Company offered to construct a "47,500-pound interceptor that could be flown to NATO bases as needed on Boeing-built C-17 cargo planes," a "two-stage interceptor designed to be globally deployable within 24 hours...." [3]

This initiative, much as with reports of plans to expand the American worldwide interceptor missile system to the Middle East and Southeastern Europe, has been presented as a way of alleviating Russian concerns over anti-missile components being deployed near its borders. But on the same day that Boeing announced the rapid deployable missile launcher to NATO bases in Europe the First Deputy Foreign Minister of the Czech Republic, Tomas Pojar, was quoted as asserting that a "possible U.S. mobile anti-missile shield does not threaten the U.S. plans to build a radar base on Czech soil because the system is to be a combination of fixed and mobile elements." [4]

http://usa.mediamonitors.net/content/view/full/66455

[dando]

http://farm1.static.flickr.com/229/515167935_e8f2fa2121_o.jpg

In other news, the 51st state :gomer: is planning to boycott the speech:

http://www.ottawacitizen.com/news/Canada+boycott+Iran+speech/2022648/story.html

:thumbup:

-Kevin

[cameraman]

Yeah, that could be considered written off...
http://aviation-safety.net/photos/accidents/750/20090922-0-C-d-2-750.jpg

http://aviation-safety.net/database/record.php?id=20090922-0

[TrueBrit]

Sorry but I just can't stop :rofl::rofl::rofl::laugh::laugh::laugh:

[dando]

Yeah, that could be considered written off...


Relax, all right? My old man is a television repairman, he's got this ultimate set of tools. I can fix it.

</spicoli>

:gomer:

-Kevin

[JohnHKart]

Yeah, that could be considered written off...
http://aviation-safety.net/photos/accidents/750/20090922-0-C-d-2-750.jpg

http://aviation-safety.net/database/record.php?id=20090922-0


ah man, you know, "anything can be rebuilt"

Tom Reilly, warbird restorer

[KLang]

:laugh: Great story.

Hope that Russia does not sell them another.

[dando]

Hope that Russia does not sell them another.

:mad: :saywhat:

-Kevin

[nrc]

"Transferred from Iraq..." That's one way to put it. :D

Reports on this seem to be mixed. Some are now saying that the crashes were unrelated other than that both aircraft were involved in the parade.

Sorry to hear about the loss of life but I imagine they'll bolt an old TV sat dish to a patched up C130 and call it good.

[Elmo T]

September 23, 2009, 12:20 PM (GMT+02:00)


...it collided with one of escorting planes, a US-made F-5E...

Reminded me of this:

http://www.aerospaceweb.org/aircraft/fighter/f14/f14_16.jpg

I guess it was a good idea at the time.

Here is what I found for the recent status:


Present-Day Operation

The F-14s temperamental TF.30-PW-414 engines and a lack of all official US- support since 1978 (and unofficial support since 1985) has meant that these war machines have been hangar queens. Through cannibalization and ingenuity the IRIAF has continued to keep at least some F-14s operational. As late as 1985 formations of up to 25 F-14s have been observed in flyovers. At least nine have been lost to accidents. It is still thought that Iran maintains about 59 of the original 79 F-14s airframes delivered in the 1970s. Of these at least two squadrons’ worth of aircraft (for the 81st and 82nd TFS) are currently operational. It should be noted that the US Navy, the only other operator of the F-14, retired the last of its 633 delivered aircraft by September 2006. With the exception of about 80 stripped frames donated to aviation museums, the USNs Tomcats are being shredded and melted down so as to not allow any of their parts to make their way to Iran by any means to keep the Iranian F-14s operational.


Scourge of the Iraqi Air Force and Last Survivor of Their Line
(http://modern-war.suite101.com/article.cfm/iranian_f14_tomcat_history)

[Gnam]

from the article

The Iranian F-14 force saw much more combat than their US brothers. During the 1980-1988 Iran-Iraq war IRIAF F-14 drivers claimed some 100~ confirmed victories over Saddam Hussein’s air force. It is known that only 5 of the Iranian F-14s were lost in air to air combat during the war, giving them a very respectable kill ratio of some 20:1.

I'd love to see an Iranian version of Top Gun. :laugh:

Just a coincidence that the only long range "eyes" the Iranians have are blinded in a very public way? ;)

[emjaya]

With the exception of about 80 stripped frames donated to aviation museums, the USNs Tomcats are being shredded and melted down...

:(

[Indy]

Eye witnesses reported that the flaming planes landed on the mausoleum burial site of the Islamic revolution's founder Ruhollah Khomeini, a national shrine.

:laugh::laugh::laugh::laugh::laugh:

Allah loves you, baby.

[Methanolandbrats]

Does it really matter if Iran has a plane like that? If they started **** instead of just talking ****, would'nt it take about five minutes to shoot it down?

[oddlycalm]

I'd love to see an Iranian version of Top Gun. :laugh:

Just a coincidence that the only long range "eyes" the Iranians have are blinded in a very public way? ;)
I think we just saw the Iranian Top Gun. :gomer: When loyalty to regime and religious screening are used as criteria for pilot selection instead of skills and abilities you tend to remove coincidence from the picture. History has already conclusively demonstrated that 3rd generation asskissers don't make the best military pilots. :laugh:

oc

[Indy]

History has already conclusively demonstrated that 3rd generation asskissers don't make the best military pilots.

True.

http://img34.imageshack.us/img34/9834/presgwbushmountingjet.jpg

[Methanolandbrats]

True.

http://img34.imageshack.us/img34/9834/presgwbushmountingjet.jpg

:rofl:

[SteveH]

How long before Israeli jets take out suspected nuclear sites?

[Indy]

How long before Israeli jets take out suspected nuclear sites?

It does make you wonder about the accident.

A little too convenient, perhaps?

[Michaelhatesfans]

Yeah, that could be considered written off...


(John Candy mode) Oh, noooo - that'll buff right out.

[oddlycalm]

True.

I had in mind the Syrian Air Force and similar when I commented.

oc

[nrc]

I think we're wandering into dangerous territory. Back on topic unless you want me to go all Iranian Air Force on this thread.

[Gnam]

I think I spotted the problem...
The Iranians were using the wrong accessories. Their Russian Ilyushin 76 AWACS was designed to be used with MiG-25 Foxbats, not F-5Es. Unfortunately, this voids their warranty. :p

http://img34.imageshack.us/img34/1117/ana50therussianequivale.jpg

[dando]

I think we're wandering into dangerous territory. Back on topic unless you want me to go all Antwan Odom on this thread.

Fixed. :D

-Kevin

[chop456]

How long before Israeli jets take out suspected nuclear sites?

I'd bet on sooner rather than later.

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-middle-east-15643460


The UN's nuclear watchdog says it has information indicating Iran has carried out tests "relevant to the development of a nuclear explosive device".

Color me shocked.

[Gnam]

Man, those poor Iranian bastards can't catch a break.
Two explosions, two viruses, and one dead general.

It's almost a country western song. :p

http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/worldnews/middleeast/iran/8888967/Iran-claims-defence-computer-systems-hit-by-another-supervirus.html

[Gnam]

Three explosions.


An explosion rocked the western Iranian city of Isfahan on Monday, the semi-official Fars news agency reported, adding that the blast was heard in several parts of the city.

It should be noted that Iran operates a uranium conversion plant near Isfahan, one with an important function in the chain of Iran's nuclear program.


http://www.haaretz.com/news/middle-east/report-explosion-rocks-iran-city-of-isfahan-home-to-key-nuclear-facility-1.398312

[SteveH]

http://www.foxnews.com/images/426259/0_61_082808_iran_sub.jpg

Gilligan gets a submarine (http://www.ynetnews.com/articles/0,7340,L-4153329,00.html)

[chop456]

Iranian submarine. As advanced as Western vessels

:laugh:

[TrueBrit]

Man, those poor Iranian bastards can't catch a break.
Two explosions, two viruses, and one dead general.

It's almost a country western song. :p

http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/worldnews/middleeast/iran/8888967/Iran-claims-defence-computer-systems-hit-by-another-supervirus.html

Nah mate.. you still need to add a cheatin' spouse and a dearly-departed dawg as I recall...

[dando]

As advanced as western vessels means Davids circa 1863. :gomer: One ping only... :D

-Kevin

[devilmaster]

Nah mate.. you still need to add a cheatin' spouse and a dearly-departed dawg as I recall...

broken down truck.....

[Napoleon]

Iranian submarine. As advanced as Western vessels

Those Iranians are such comedians.

Cleveland Harbor has sitting in it a sub that is, based on me eyeballing stats on both subs, 3 times as long, over 10 times heavier, 3 times the crew, close to twice the speed and 5 times the torpedo tubes.

Oh and it was decommissioned 7 years before I was born.

All that said it seems to me a small sub like this is really suits them better then a bigger one. If you want to fight a navy bottled up in the Persian Gulf and Gulf or Omam and harass shipping in the Straights of Hormuz, would you rather have 3 of these or one big one built for the Atlantic or Pacific?

[Don Quixote]

It reminds me of the Monitor. Or is it the Merrimac?

[Gnam]

The first comment on the article:

Ghadir-class was designed and is constructed in North Korea. Iran does not have an indigenous submarine industry. Ghadir-class are so called mini subs. Their only purpose is to defend harbours and coastlines, they do not possess any offensive capabilities whatsoever and connot be compared to Israel's dolphin subs. But Irans propaganda machine is working as ever.

Made in North Korea. Where quality is Job #1. :laugh:

[Andrew Longman]

broken down truck.....And a women who left and took the double-wide with her.

[grungex]

um6eNkswv3g

[dando]

Missle site go boom. (http://www.washingtonpost.com/blogs/checkpoint-washington/post/image-shows-than-an-iranian-missile-site-was-destroyed/2011/11/28/gIQA7KZW5N_blog.html) Ooops. :gomer:

-Kevin

[Andrew Longman]

Ooops. :gomer:

-KevinYeah, oops.

You know if I were Iranian I'd have some serious concerns about my safety and my country's ability to handle nukes and nuke material if they can't handle the missiles and missile fuel that is intended to deliver said nukes to Israel.

Tolerating Western Imperialist Infidels might be a better, safer deal.

Jus' sayin'

[TrueBrit]

And a women who left and took the double-wide with her.

Thought that the woman looked like a double-wide as she left....;)

[TrueBrit]

You know if I were Iranian I'd have some serious concerns about my safety and my country's ability to handle nukes and nuke material if they can't handle the missiles and missile fuel that is intended to deliver said nukes to Israel.

..and I'm sure those questions would come up if they weren't force-fed the Iranian equivalent of Faux News all day long...;)

[SteveH]

Mysterious blasts, slayings suggest covert efforts in Iran

Attacks targeting nuclear scientists and sites lead some observers to believe that the U.S. and Israel are trying to derail Iran's programs.


more here (http://www.latimes.com/news/nationworld/world/la-fg-iran-bomb-20111205,0,7550482.story)

the end of the article....


Whatever the cause, headlines about unsolved killings, unexplained explosions and sinister computer viruses have rattled Iranians, especially those who work in the nuclear program, analysts said.

Perhaps that's the point.

"All these things have a profound effect," Clawson said. "You have to watch your back when you go to work. You're not certain what's going to happen when you turn on your computer. You're not certain whether you can talk to your colleagues."

[chop456]

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-middle-east-16501566


A university lecturer and nuclear scientist has been killed in a car explosion in north Tehran, reports say.

Iranian media sources named the casualty as Mostafa Ahmadi-Roshan, an academic who also worked at the Natanz uranium enrichment facility.

The blast happened after a motorcyclist stuck an apparent bomb to the car, said Iran's semi-official Fars news agency.

[Edit] From the 'send us your comments' section at the bottom of the BBC page:


Are you an Iranian scientist? Are you a scientist of Iranian descent? Are you concerned about the pitfalls of such a career?

:laugh:

[Napoleon]

Funny Chop.

That is the 4th one this has happened to.

[devilmaster]

That is the 4th one this has happened to.

Don't mess with Mossad. Take the time and read their wiki. And thats just the stuff the general public has -found out- about....

[Napoleon]

Don't mess with Mossad.

And according to this they do it in "False Flag" operations where they pose as Americans, which the US Government apparently is not keen about.

http://www.foreignpolicy.com/articles/2012/01/13/false_flag?page=full

[devilmaster]

And according to this they do it in "False Flag" operations where they pose as Americans, which the US Government apparently is not keen about.

http://www.foreignpolicy.com/articles/2012/01/13/false_flag?page=full

I have no doubt that all agencies do this, if not on a regular basis, then often enough to piss each other off. One of the failed missions of Mossad in Jordan had two of them portraying Canadian tourists.

[Rex Karz]

And according to this they do it in "False Flag" operations where they pose as Americans, which the US Government apparently is not keen about.

http://www.foreignpolicy.com/articles/2012/01/13/false_flag?page=full

Given how these intelligence agencies operate, it could be CIA agents posing as Israeli agents. Planting a news story that Israeli agents posed as CIA agents is the easy part.

But the good news is that once all of this stuff is declassifed, we'll find out what really happened (maybe) in 30 or 40 years. But then again there's supposed to be stuff from WWI and WWII that's still classified.

[Gnam]

Americans pretending to be Israelis pretending to be Americans pretending to be Iranians?

This much is clear, I do not have the patience to be a spy.
Not even close.

[Napoleon]

I have no doubt that all agencies do this, if not on a regular basis, then often enough to piss each other off. One of the failed missions of Mossad in Jordan had two of them portraying Canadian tourists.

I actually don't think you do like they do. Also remember they appear to have also got caught doing it a second time to the British when they were using faked British passports in that operation where some Palestinian was shot in a fancy hotel in one of those small Gulf states.

[emjaya]

I actually don't think you do like they do. Also remember they appear to have also got caught doing it a second time to the British when they were using faked British passports in that operation where some Palestinian was shot in a fancy hotel in one of those small Gulf states.

Mahmoud al-Mabhouh? (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Assassination_of_Mahmoud_al-Mabhouh)

They used faked Australian passports in the names of real people in Israel, dual Oz/Israeli citizens.

[Napoleon]

That was the story I was thinking about.

[Kiwifan]

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/2004_Israel%E2%80%93New_Zealand_spy_scandal

It's a funny old world really.