Little problem without some Tomcats

[Corsair7662]

Iran TV broadcasts 'US ship spy plane footage'

 

TEHRAN (AFP) - Iran's Arabic language television station broadcast footage it claimed showed a US aircraft carrier cruising in Gulf waters it said was taken by an unmanned Iranian drone.

 

The brief minute-long film, which was shown on Al-Alam television's evening news bulletin, showed wobbly aerial footage of an aircraft carrier stacked with war planes as it sailed.

 

The television's anchor said the film, the property of Iran's elite Revolutionary Guard, showed a vessel from "the US fleet in the Persian Gulf".

 

"A source in the Revolutionary Guard said the drone carried out its mission without US fighter pilots reaching it," the television said.

 

It said there were 10 such films taken by the drone which showed "more precise information and details about military equipment, foreign forces, and their activities in the Persian Gulf."

 

The station did not name the vessel nor did it say when the footage was shot.

 

The broadcast comes near the end of Iran's latest 10-day war games, "Great Prophet II", which military chiefs have said were aimed at showing off Iran's defensive prowess and testing new military hardware.

 

The war games coincided with US-led naval menuvers in the Gulf off Iran aimed at halting arms-trafficing, the first time such an exercise has been held in the area.

 

And oh yeah! the drone was never detected until it was on its way back to Iran.

 

Picture taken from drone-

 

WATCH THE WHOLE VIDEO HERE!!- http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NGwFzzIe5EQ

 

Iran has a number of small, indigenous UAVs, including Mohajer, Ababil, Solar, a reverse-engineered version of MQM-107 target-drone etc. Mohajer, just for example, "closely resembles" the Israeli Pioneer (a version of which is now in service with USMC):

 

They are using them extensively since more than 20 years. In fact, the Mohajeer 2 was the first UCAV ever used in combat, armed with RPGs, back in 1986 (except if it is truth that the Israelis used AGM-65A-equipped AGM-34s during October War, 1973).

 

This was one of early versions of Ababil (newer are smaller, and have a camera-sectio similar to that of AGM-65 on the nose):

 

Some of these UAVs are quite "low-observable" by their construction. The Iranians have a highly-developed industry of composite materials.

 

Their UAVs, BTW, have been widely exported. Out of 58 Ababils built last year, no less but 33 were sold to other countries.

 

One of their newest UAVs is closely resembling the Israeli Harpy ARM-UCAV:

 

Nevertheless, what stunns me the most: to the best of my knowledge, skippers of USN carriers are some of most paranoid people ever. It would surprise me very much if any of them would have left an IRIAF or IRGCAF UAV anywhere within a range of 100km around his boat... - and Iranians wouldn't boast with things of this kind if these would not have at least some kind of background.

 

That is, of course, RR was underway through Hormuz, or the USN really failed to detect that UAV (due to lack of knowledge about/ignorance of Iranian capability?): this can happen easily in the Persian Gulf, considering the usual weather there....

 

Iran in the past has had a habit of doing reconnaisance flights over USN carriers and yet continues, I guess they are wondering if we still have a stock on F-14's. Oh, sure the tomcat could of taken out this drone SIMPLE, but instead they got a USAF airplane to come over and scare it off......yet again, the Fleet Defender is needed!!!!!!!!

[GGTharos]

Oh please.

 

US NAVY groups have been allowing flybys of themselves forever. The only rules were: No weapons.

[Maverick-90]

US NAVY groups have been allowing flybys of themselves forever. The only rules were: No weapons.

well....i'd bet they won't let an IIAF plane fly-by them.....they would try to push them away, even iif it's only an Airbus....

[S77th-konkussion]

Do you think your un-ending crying about the F14 on a RUSSIAN flight sim forum is going to bring it out of retirement or something? Nevermind- I really don't need an answer.

[Wild-Weasel]

Why would having the Tomcat back from retirement stop a UAV overflight (or any suprised overflights for that matter) of a US carrier?

 

It wasn't able to stop the Russians suprised overflights in a Su-24 & Su-27 over the USS Kittyhawk in 2000.

 

:megalol:

[Force_Feedback]

Do you think your un-ending crying about the F14 on a RUSSIAN flight sim forum is going to bring it out of retirement or something? Nevermind- I really don't need an answer.

 

Oh, come on, the F-14D was (:() a very capable interceptor, the only reason it got dumped is because Boeing said they could do it for less money (allowing them to earn lots of it in return), there's your greatest (war) industry in the world at work. And there is *a lot* of money involved in there, so no compromises are made whatsoever towards affordability, and all it counts is making an artificial threat of some kind to be able to keep on producing weapons as in the 'good old days'.

[hitman]

You mean to tell us that a tiny insignificant drone overflew a US warship? OMG that little bitty drone could have attacked the carrier and actually seriously annoy a crewmember or something. :|

[S77th-konkussion]

They're sending up the Hawkeye to grind the little SOB to bits with its props.

[Corsair7662]

they are sending the hawkeye up because they just found out about it. and yes it is a very small little drone and that a tomcat doesnt need to go after it, but what if it was carrying two consealed mavericks? it could of really done some damage to the ship, which we then would really kill Iran with our (retired) F-14's after we realize the F/A-18 isnt good enough to their stuff.

[GGTharos]

That thing is both smaller and lighter than a Maverick. It couldn't carry a single, let alone a 'couple' or even a Hellfire. ;)

[D-Scythe]

That drone would've been picked up on radar from the other side of the planet. Unless it's some kind of new stealth tech (doubtful), there's no way that thing could be missed by USN radars.

 

The idea that the USN didn't know about the drone is laughable. Even an F-22 can't overly a CVBG without being picked up by Aegis.

[Corsair7662]

That thing is both smaller and lighter than a Maverick. It couldn't carry a single, let alone a 'couple' or even a Hellfire. ;)

 

alright, there your are wrong. even the newly designed "Predators" can carry hellfires. And their the same size as these Iranian drones.

 

GENERAL CHARACTERISTICS

• Contractor: General Atomics Aeronautical Systems Incorporated
  
• Landing Type: runway
  
• Launch Type: runway
  
• Power Plant: Honeywell TP331-10 turboprop engine, 670 kW

PERFORMANCE

• Ceiling: 50,000 ft (15 km)
  
• Endurance: 14 h
  
• Fuel Capacity: 1,300 kg (3,000 lb)
  
• Length: 11 m (36 ft)
  
• Payload: 1700 kg (3800 lb)
  
• Weight: 1400 kg (3000 lb) empty; 4500 kg (10,000 lb) max
  
• Wingspan: 20 m (66 ft)
  
• Velocity: 400 km/h (250 mi/h, 220 knots)

ARMAMENT

• 8x AGM-114 Hellfire air to ground missiles
  
• 2x AIM-92 Stinger air to air missiles
  
• 2x GBU-12 Paveway II laser-guided bombs

[hitman]

Not to mention the CWIS was designed to pick up objects and "intercept" them that are approximately the same size of that craft.

[hitman]

alright, there your are wrong. even the newly designed "Predators" can carry hellfires. And their the same size as these Iranian drones.

 

GENERAL CHARACTERISTICS

• Contractor: General Atomics Aeronautical Systems Incorporated
  
• Landing Type: runway
  
• Launch Type: runway
  
• Power Plant: Honeywell TP331-10 turboprop engine, 670 kW

PERFORMANCE

• Ceiling: 50,000 ft (15 km)
  
• Endurance: 14 h
  
• Fuel Capacity: 1,300 kg (3,000 lb)
  
• Length: 11 m (36 ft)
  
• Payload: 1700 kg (3800 lb)
  
• Weight: 1400 kg (3000 lb) empty; 4500 kg (10,000 lb) max
  
• Wingspan: 20 m (66 ft)
  
• Velocity: 400 km/h (250 mi/h, 220 knots)

ARMAMENT

• 8x AGM-114 Hellfire air to ground missiles
  
• 2x AIM-92 Stinger air to air missiles
  
• 2x GBU-12 Paveway II laser-guided bombs

 

THAT...is a LOT larger in size than the depicted drone Iran used...a whole LOT bigger.

[Corsair7662]

THAT...is a LOT larger in size than the depicted drone Iran used...a whole LOT bigger.

 

First of all, you nor I know the type, size, or look of the Iranian drone that was offically used, but just saying out of the air, what IF it was carrying heats or AGM's

[hitman]

From the pics you provided...Id say that drone wasnt no longer than 4 feet...6 feet tops. The guy in front of the drone (in the truck) gives a good size comparison. So tell me where they plan to mount this ship-killing missile at?

 

Did I mention that painting them a bright color kinda makes it easy to spot?

[D-Scythe]

If the CVBG percieved it as a threat, than that drone wouldn't make it within a hundred miles of the carrier. And if it somehow could slip by AWACs, the Hornets and the Aegis screen, than Tomcats are gonna be useless as well - in fact, Iran might as well become the next super power because NOTHING can slip by all those radars without being detected.

[Guest IguanaKing]

I wonder if this incident will turn out to be something similar to those "missile tests" Iran was bragging about a few months ago. Those tests turned out to be old footage of missile tests in China.

[Frostie]

what about filling it full of semtex and landing right next to one of those pretty Hornets then KABOOOM!! ...oh shoot have I just give em an idea.:Flush:

[Pilotasso]

what about filling it full of semtex and landing right next to one of those pretty Hornets then KABOOOM!! ...oh shoot have I just give em an idea.:Flush:

 

 

Iran would loose a war for an UAV, what a way to go. :D

[hitman]

Before the thing even gets close to the ship, the CIWS would take it out.

 

Indeed it would be a sad, sad depressing day for the Navy if the ONLY thing in the world that could take out the vaunted UAV would be a Tomcat. Im thinking Top Gun again...poor Goose.

[D-Scythe]

Before the thing even gets close to the ship, the CIWS would take it out.

 

Try AMRAAM/SM-2MR/RAM. CIWS is for all intents and purposes the absolute last line of defense - it has a range no greater than 2 km from the ship.

[Dudikoff]

That thing is both smaller and lighter than a Maverick. It couldn't carry a single, let alone a 'couple' or even a Hellfire. ;)

 

Yeah, but it could carry some propaganda leaflets. Carefully written, it might make some unwary crewmen laugh to the level where prolonged intensive care is necessary. They should have just shot it down. You can never be too careful ;)

[BladeLWS]

Not to mention the CWIS was designed to pick up objects and "intercept" them that are approximately the same size of that craft.

 

Indeed they are. I would not doubt that the drone was locked up by every fire control radar within 5 miles and half a dozen Phalanx cannons. They could of blown it out of the sky whenever they wanted.

[Pilotasso]

Defenses systems are not always online in automated response mode. Having said that Im sure there was enough time between detection and any possible intention to indeed bring it to stand by to shoot.