Wednesday, September 23, 2009

Not So Fast, Mahmoud

As the madman of Teheran is about to make his UN appearance to pat the Messiah on the back and try to outdo Mohammar Qaddafi, we get this:

Simorgh and Tiger Try To Occupy Same Airspace

Yes, you don't want to ding up the equipment doing gratuitous parade flybys!

But, wait, there's more:

You Shouldn't Buy Used Russian Equipment

So, we've got a former Soviet IL-76 that was sold to Iraq, which then "saved" it from the advancing coalition forces during Desert Storm by moving it to Iran. That was in 1991. Flash forward 17 years and the innovative Iranians have "upgraded" it to an AWACS configuration--at least they put a big rotating dish on its back. I can only imagine the high tech electronics Heathkits in the interior.

Now, I don't know about you, but what condition do you think this airplane was in? Do you suppose it was maintained like a fine watch or a well oiled Ferrari? Lots of loving care by those high tech Iraqi conscript airmen followed by some really fine modification work by the Iranians? It would be a wonder that they got the damn thing airborne at all.

Then lets get it escorted by a couple of F-5Es dating back to the friendly-with-the-US period of Shah Reza Pahlavi, prior to 1979. Wonder how those birds were holding up?

Put those lightweight fighters out there next to that huge vortex generating behemoth and then slow them down to a nice turbulent parade fly-by angle-of-attack. Can you say "whoopsie"?

Ahh, but these are the folks that are going to wipe Israel off the face of the map. Now their air defenses are going to have to start out the engagement blindfolded.

Life is good today, despite the UN shenanigans.

1 comment:

Anna said...

If the Iranians took their portents seriously, they would be rethinking some things after this incident. What am I speaking of? Well it seems that rattle-trap Il-76 mutant's flaming wreckage fell atop the Ayatollah Khomeni's masoleum/shrine. As Mastercard says, priceless.