FA-18 Fighter Pilot Taunts Iran Air Traffic Control

Published by djmick on July 3rd, 2009

FA-18 fighter

In addition to communicating with the local Air Traffic Control facility, all aircraft in the Persian Gulf AOR are required to give the Iranian Air Defence Radar (military) a ten minute ‘heads up’ if they will be transiting Iranian airspace.

This is a common procedure for commercial aircraft and involves giving them your call sign, transponder code, type aircraft, and points of origin and destination.

The following is a conversation apparently overheard on the VHF Guard (emergency) frequency 121.5 MHz while flying from Europe to Dubai.

My guess is it’s complete fiction but it still made me smile.

Iranian Air Defence Radar: ‘Unknown aircraft you are in Iranian airspace. Identify yourself.’

Aircraft: ‘This is a United States aircraft. I am in Iraqi airspace.’

Iranian Air Defence Radar: ‘You are in Iranian airspace. If you do not depart our airspace we will launch interceptor aircraft!’

Aircraft: ‘This is a United States Marine Corps FA-18 fighter. Send ‘em up, I’ll wait!’

Iranian Air Defence Radar: (no response … total silence)