Iran shoots down American drone in "clear message" to U.S.

[redleghunter]

• U.S. officials say Iran shot down an American spy drone over international waters over the Strait of Hormuz.
• Iran claims it shot down a U.S. drone flying in its airspace, and has condemned the alleged "provocative" act and warned of unspecified retaliation.
• The drone was shot down hours after Iranian-backed Houthi rebels in Yemen fired a missile into neighboring Saudi Arabia, a key U.S. ally in the Mideast.
• Both incidents come amid soaring tension in the region as the U.S. accuses Iran of multiple attacks on tankers.

Both the U.S. and Iran said Thursday that Iranian forces had shot down an American military surveillance drone, but the two sides offered conflicting details on the incident, which is likely to further escalate already soaring tensions in the Middle East. U.S. officials confirmed to CBS News that a high altitude drone on a surveillance mission over the Strait of Hormuz was hit by an Iranian surface-to-air missile in international airspace.


Iran, however, said its elite Revolutionary Guard shot down an RQ-4 Global Hawk drone as it flew over southern Iran. Iran's Foreign Ministry issued a condemnation of the purported violation of its airspace and warned of a strong reaction to what it called a "provocative" act by the U.S.

The U.S. military has denied that any of its aircraft were operating over Iran at the time, but officials confirmed to CBS News national security correspondent David Martin that an American drone was downed.

More at the link: U.S. drown shot: Iran shoots down American drone in "clear message" to U.S.; RQ-4A Global Hawk surveillance drone hit by after missile hits Saudi Arabia today - CBS News

 

[Gigimo]

• U.S. officials say Iran shot down an American spy drone over international waters over the Strait of Hormuz.
• Iran claims it shot down a U.S. drone flying in its airspace, and has condemned the alleged "provocative" act and warned of unspecified retaliation.
• The drone was shot down hours after Iranian-backed Houthi rebels in Yemen fired a missile into neighboring Saudi Arabia, a key U.S. ally in the Mideast.
• Both incidents come amid soaring tension in the region as the U.S. accuses Iran of multiple attacks on tankers.

Both the U.S. and Iran said Thursday that Iranian forces had shot down an American military surveillance drone, but the two sides offered conflicting details on the incident, which is likely to further escalate already soaring tensions in the Middle East. U.S. officials confirmed to CBS News that a high altitude drone on a surveillance mission over the Strait of Hormuz was hit by an Iranian surface-to-air missile in international airspace.


Iran, however, said its elite Revolutionary Guard shot down an RQ-4 Global Hawk drone as it flew over southern Iran. Iran's Foreign Ministry issued a condemnation of the purported violation of its airspace and warned of a strong reaction to what it called a "provocative" act by the U.S.

The U.S. military has denied that any of its aircraft were operating over Iran at the time, but officials confirmed to CBS News national security correspondent David Martin that an American drone was downed.

More at the link: U.S. drown shot: Iran shoots down American drone in "clear message" to U.S.; RQ-4A Global Hawk surveillance drone hit by after missile hits Saudi Arabia today - CBS News

Sounds like someone is getting a bit big for their "7 day saggy britches"

 

[Douger]

Thankfully the drone was unmanned at the time it was shot down.

“We didn’t have a man or woman in the drone. It would have made a big, big difference,” Trump said.

Trump suggests 'loose and stupid' Iranian officer attacked US drone

 

[mindlight]

• U.S. officials say Iran shot down an American spy drone over international waters over the Strait of Hormuz.
• Iran claims it shot down a U.S. drone flying in its airspace, and has condemned the alleged "provocative" act and warned of unspecified retaliation.
• The drone was shot down hours after Iranian-backed Houthi rebels in Yemen fired a missile into neighboring Saudi Arabia, a key U.S. ally in the Mideast.
• Both incidents come amid soaring tension in the region as the U.S. accuses Iran of multiple attacks on tankers.

Both the U.S. and Iran said Thursday that Iranian forces had shot down an American military surveillance drone, but the two sides offered conflicting details on the incident, which is likely to further escalate already soaring tensions in the Middle East. U.S. officials confirmed to CBS News that a high altitude drone on a surveillance mission over the Strait of Hormuz was hit by an Iranian surface-to-air missile in international airspace.


Iran, however, said its elite Revolutionary Guard shot down an RQ-4 Global Hawk drone as it flew over southern Iran. Iran's Foreign Ministry issued a condemnation of the purported violation of its airspace and warned of a strong reaction to what it called a "provocative" act by the U.S.

The U.S. military has denied that any of its aircraft were operating over Iran at the time, but officials confirmed to CBS News national security correspondent David Martin that an American drone was downed.

More at the link: U.S. drown shot: Iran shoots down American drone in "clear message" to U.S.; RQ-4A Global Hawk surveillance drone hit by after missile hits Saudi Arabia today - CBS News

Must admit I was surprised that the Iranian air defences were that good as this is meant to be a stealth drone. BUt it sends a clear message that an invasion would be very costly and could not assume air supremacy.

 

[DanishLutheran]

Thankfully the drone was unmanned at the time it was shot down.

“We didn’t have a man or woman in the drone. It would have made a big, big difference,” Trump said.

Trump suggests 'loose and stupid' Iranian officer attacked US drone

This.
If it had been a manned aircraft rather than an unmanned drone that the ayatollahs had shot down....not only WOULD the reaction have been different, it SHOULD have been different.
The phrase: "Cry 'Havoc!,' and let slip the dogs of war." comes to mind.
As things stand, Trump's final reaction was the right one.
Let's hope the near miss makes the ayatollahs come to their senses. If not, then they'll rapidly find out that they aren't dealing with Obama who was happy to let the US be defecated on whenever the chance arose.

 

[DanishLutheran]

Must admit I was surprised that the Iranian air defences were that good as this is meant to be a stealth drone. BUt it sends a clear message that an invasion would be very costly and could not assume air supremacy.

I doubt that actual invasion is on anyone's mind.
Intensive air campaign, however, is another matter. And while this is a surprise, it's not that big of a deal. In a coordinated strike, the US is fully capable of taking out Iran's air defences, and from then on bomb with impunity.
A couple of MOBAs against their nuclear facilities should be enough to make sure that they aren't going to repeat the mistake anytime soon.

 

[mindlight]

I doubt that actual invasion is on anyone's mind.
Intensive air campaign, however, is another matter. And while this is a surprise, it's not that big of a deal. In a coordinated strike, the US is fully capable of taking out Iran's air defences, and from then on bomb with impunity.
A couple of MOBAs against their nuclear facilities should be enough to make sure that they aren't going to repeat the mistake anytime soon.

As I said in the other thread Americas cyber capabilities are well ahead of anybody elses out there and maybe that would win air supremacy despite my earlier comment. It seems they would have the Iranians firing missiles at themselves or just render their systems useless junk in the event of a real conflict. But neither MOABs or Air supremacy (if achievable) could guarantee the eradication of all nuclear facilities unless they have a comprehensive list and can deploy special forces to all targets simultaneously. So if there is not going to be a ground interdiction with full intelligence then this is not going to happen. The Iranian bluster indicates they do not think the Americans would actually do this. So why play this game if it could lead to an accidental conflict with no positive result vis a vis the nuclear question?

 

[DanishLutheran]

So why play this game if it could lead to an accidental conflict with no positive result vis a vis the nuclear question?

Because this isn't Obama they're dealing with, who stood by and let Iran kidnap American soldiers. Trump - wisely - refrained this time, but if lives are lost on the American side he won't.
Thinking that the US doesn't have a good idea of where Iran's nuclear facilities are is assuming that the US intelligence services - which are among the best in the world at this particular kind of operation - are incompetent. Special forces wouldn't be necessary. It doesn't necessary take a special forces team to destroy a nuclear enrichment facility. It takes a big-a** bomb. Yes, it'll blow up everything in the vicinity as well, but it WILL take out the facility, which is the point of it all.

There's no need to risk boots on the ground.