by Jason Kramer
Chapter 3
2310Z: Southern Iraq
“Python 36; Baghdad Control; Proceed South to Tallil/Ali Air Base TMA,” issues the US Air Force Air Traffic Controller. “Python 27 will join you; contact Baghdad Control on UHF 239.”
Python 36 is an US Air Force F15E Strike Eagle on patrol duty along the Iraqi/Iranian border.
“Baghdad Control, Python 36 on UHF 239; proceeding to Tallil TMA at Flight Level 300,” says Captain Westbrook.
“Baghdad Control, copies Python 36 on UHF 239,” replies the USAF Controller.
“Python 36; military activity has been observed inside Iran. Multiple targets have launched off of Omidiyeh and Dezful’s Vahdati Air Bases,” relays Baghdad Control.
The US Air Force Controller is not sure what is going on inside Iran but this is definitely unusual activity.
“This is when we really need the E-3C AWACS aircraft that has been pulled back to Ramstein Air Force Base in Germany,” the Controller says to no one in particular.
At Joint Base Balad, north of Baghdad, preparations are being made to launch a KC-135 tanker to refuel the fighters that are already flying. Another squadron of the F15E Strike Eagle is placed on Hot Alert. The squadron is ready to launch just in case there is more to this hijacking of a private jet. No one at the air traffic control center knows the mission of this business jet and certainly not the reason that the Iranians would be interested in it tonight.
Central Command in Baghdad knows what the private jet’s mission is and the importance of the personnel onboard. A United States government and the military contractor arranged the sale of the Israeli missile defense system. The United States government sold the idea to use the Israelis engineers to develop it in Bahrain.
The Persian Gulf countries have been listening to the rhetoric coming out of Iran and have decided that they must protect their interests in the region. But it has become a dilemma now. The US Air Force cannot go after the BBJ in Iranian airspace and cause an international incident that could possibly trigger a worldwide negative response especially among the Middle East Muslim states. The hardest part will be to keep the Israelis from reacting too swiftly.
Central Command orders Baghdad’s Air Traffic Control to contact the Kuwaiti Air Traffic Control Center and find out what they can from them. Baghdad Control could not tell where the BBJ went after it had descended below three thousand feet.
Kuwaiti Air Traffic Control watched the BBJ and its escort entering Iranian airspace before it went off the radar screen. It was joined by multiple aircraft (probably fighter jets) from the bases on the southwestern edge of the Iran/Iraq border. It appears that the BBJ is headed to one of the airports near the Khūzestān Province area.
