Natanz: The Final Notice
Page 16
Chapter 15
Day 6: 0430Z: Be’er Sheva: Israel
As the sun rises over Be’er-Sheva, a very somber mood is present at the apartment of Lt. Colonel Benjamin Raymond and his family. He bends over to kiss his wife. He smiles and tells her that he loves her and will be back in a couple of days. He enters the bedrooms of his children to kiss their foreheads while they are still asleep. This scene has been played many times in his long career and it has been accepted as a way of life in this Israeli family.
His family knows that he cannot tell them about his mission but they know that it is always going to be a dangerous one. His wife knows in her heart that he is going after the captured engineers even though he has not said this. The kidnapping of the engineers has consumed the news. It has been in all the newspapers and on television. She believes that he will return safely because he always has. She gives him one last hug and whispers, “Please be careful, I love you.”
He bends over and kisses her goodbye. He leaves and his mind automatically switches to the mission that is ahead of him.
0530Z: Hatzerim Air Base
Inside a hanger at the Israeli Air Force’s Hatzerim Air Base, two Israeli C-130J military transports are being loaded and prepared to depart for the US Naval Air Station at Sigonella. One aircraft will transport Colonel Raymond’s team and equipment. The other C-130J in this hanger will transport the Harop Loitering Killer Drones, munitions unit, mission control shelter and launcher.
The Harop is a small, winged Unmanned Combat Aerial Vehicle (UCAV), dedicated for the Suppression of Air Defenses (SEAD). It is a mobile launched derivative of the highly successful Harpy Killer UCAV, but it is remotely controlled by an operator. The Israeli Aerospace Industries developed the Harop Loitering Killer Drones to detect attack and destroy hostile Surface to Air Missiles, the anti-aircraft system’s radar, command unit and mobile or concealed ballistic missile launchers. It also has one thousand kilometer range/six hour endurance. Its small size will allow it to sneak into Iranian airspace, undetected.
The Harop carries a fifty-one pound high explosive warhead. It can wait for the enemy to turn on the radar system of their anti-aircraft missile defense systems or the operator can attack targets using an electro-optical system.
Another Israeli C-130J is being loaded in an adjacent hanger with the Harpy Air Defense
Suppression System battery. A Harpy battery consists of three vehicles and contains eighteen UCAVs. They will also leave Hatzerim Air Base for NAS Sigonella.
From NAS Sigonella, these UCAVs will be transported to Joint Base Balad by the United States Air Force’s C-17. Then the UCAVs will be launched from there to destroy the Iranian anti-aircraft radar sites and clear the path for the CV-22 Ospreys and the Israeli fighter/bombers.
At precisely, 0530Z, Colonel Raymond walks into the hanger at Hatzerim Air Base. He is dressed in the Iranian IRGC officer’s desert camouflaged uniform. The rest of his team, nicknamed “Batmen”, is also wearing the Iranian IRGC uniforms. Underneath their uniforms each operator is wearing the Dragon Skin: lighter weight (titanium) body armor.
Some of his men are armed with the Israeli Tavor assault rifle with a night vision and integral Reflex red dot laser sight. Others on his team will have the Czech CZ Scorpion EVO 3 A1 submachine gun. Each member of the “Batmen” has a mini transponder and GPS receiver that can track each other member of the team. Colonel Raymond walks around speaking to each one as they pack their weapons, explosives and satellite telephones/radios in the compartments on the Gryphon “wing”.
Colonel Raymond and his team of six Israeli Defense Force Sayeret Maglan commandos (Katzefit) will be using a unique method of infiltration for this rescue. His team has acquired the Gryphon Parachute System.
About six months previous to the hijacking of the engineers, Colonel Raymond and his men started testing this new system developed by a German company for sport skydiving. It was very quickly adapted by the special operations community for stealth insertions. The Sayeret Maglan groups have made numerous HALO (High Altitude Low Opening) parachute jumps from an IAF C-130 military aircraft using the Gryphon wing system.
This new system allows the parachutist to “glide” into the target area. It allows for stealth insertions and also provides protection for the delivery aircraft. The commandos can fly further distances to the target area than was available with previous systems.
It is a complete system with a Heads Up display (night vision feature with a navigation mode) in the helmet and a personal oxygen system attached. The composite wing system has the capacity to carry about one hundred pounds of equipment and ordnance in a self contained locker on the back of the wing. Once the jumper reaches the objective at the desired altitude, he deploys his parachute and detaches the wing which remains tethered to a rope.
The Israelis plan to leave the aircraft at approximately thirty thousand feet and glide for about twenty-five kilometers at one hundred fifty kilometers per hour towards the nuclear facility. They should touch down approximately five kilometers from the facility. They will dispose of their Gryphon Parachute systems and prepare for their assault on the underground buildings where the hostages are being held.
If everything goes as they have planned, two Mossad Metsada agents will commandeer a military truck before Colonel Raymond and his men arrive at the designated drop zone. These agents were infiltrated into Iran through Azerbaijan as soon as Lt. Colonel Raymond received approval for his rescue plan.
According to the plan, Lt. Colonel Raymond and his team want to drive right through the front gate, dressed as Iranian Pasdaran reinforcements. But, if something happens to the Mossad agents, their backup plan is to hike the remaining five kilometers and enter through the wire fence in a remote area of the compound. Their intelligence agencies report that the vastness of the facility is secured by two rows of chain link fence with concertina wire.
Satellite photos also show that anti-aircraft missile batteries are positioned in the area surrounding the facilities. IRGC guards patrol around the inside of the perimeter fence.
The Iranian IRGC High Command has always assumed that the major threat was going to come from an Israeli or American bombardment. Their preparations have been mostly directed towards air defense with anti-aircraft batteries and their air force. The Israeli intelligence reports also tell them that since the hijacking there has been an increase in the number of IRGC guards arriving to reinforce the security forces already in place at Natanz.
After landing, Colonel Raymond’s team must move quickly. Once inside the compound they will have a small element of surprise. Hopefully the chaos of the planned aerial attack by the American cruise missiles and Air Force stealth bombers will distract the IRGC guards just enough for his team to get into the tunnel and underground area.
Colonel Raymond’s and his team are veterans of many successful special operations missions. They have been training and working together for years. They know each other and their families well. They have not had much time to get ready for this operation. He and his men will be relying on intelligence that the Mossad and the American CIA have obtained from their sources inside of Iran. He has satellite photos of the surrounding area and sketches of the inside layout of the Natanz underground facility. His team’s most important asset is their experience and desire.
A few minutes later, Israeli Defense Minister Ehud Gadi arrives to observe the return of the F-16i and F-15i from NAS Sigonella. He also wanted to check on the commando team’s preparation and give one last word of encouragement to the men. Mr. Gadi watches as Lt. Colonel Raymond’s men are going through the final stages of checking their equipment and weapons.
Minister Gadi says to Colonel Raymond, “Last night, at NAS Sigonella, a US Air Force C-17 arrived from Ramstein Air Base. It brought an additional the twelve GBU-28 C/B Bunker Busters that the American President has authorized for Israel. After this C-17 arrived in Sigonella, the GBU-28 bombs were off loaded. Six of t
hese bombs were prepared for our six Israeli F-15i Ra’am fighters to pick up during their practice flight last night. The other six bombs will be transported to Israel by these C-130 aircraft for back up in the event that the first wave of bombing is not effective. The C-17 will then transport our UCAVs and their operators to the US base in Iraq.”
Lt. Colonel Raymond says, “If all goes as planned and God willing, we will be back in thirty-six hours. These drones and the American stealth bombers should be able to clear a path for our F-15s and F-16s to take care of this threat from the Iranians, once and for all.”
“I hope so. A lot depends on the US Air Force and these UCAVs. The Harop has not been tested against the Russian Almaz S-300 PMU-1 (SA-20 Gargoyle) anti-aircraft missile system. Our intelligence agencies and the Americans believe that the Iranians may have finally acquired it from the Russians.”
The S-300PMU-1, Self-Propelled, Surface to Air missile system is the first digital variant of the highly successful S-300 system. The Russians claim that this system can engage cruise missiles, smart bombs, drones and aircraft flying at fifteen meters or above, at a distance of one to one hundred twenty kilometers. The Russians also believe that the S-300 is immune to radar jamming.
The S-300PMU-1 Gargoyle missile battery consists of three vehicles: the TEL (Transporter Erector Launcher) can carry four 9M96E2 missiles, a command and control system (can control twelve TELs) and a detection radar unit that incorporates a surveillance, fire control and guidance radar. The mobility of the batteries makes it very effective since it can hide anywhere until ready to be used. Then it can set up in under three minutes.
“I think that we discovered its vulnerabilities in 2008 when we had that exercise in Crete with the Greek S-300P anti-aircraft system. If the Iranians do have it; it will probably be hidden somewhere in the vicinity between Natanz and Qom. That is where we will send our Harop UCAV.” advises the Minister.
The Harop will be able to loiter overhead until the S-300 battery reveals itself when the American and Israeli aircraft approach Iran. The stealth American fighter jets and their cruise missiles will also be there to destroy the Iranian Air Defenses and their Western Command Air Force bases.
“So, we may not be able to end their nuclear program but we should be able to slow down their development of nuclear weapons. They will surely retaliate with their proxies Hezbollah in Lebanon and Hamas in Gaza. Their Iranian supplied missiles will certainly rain down on our country unless we hit their missile launchers first. The Iranians may even be able to get some of their new Sajjil and Shahab “3” long range missiles through the defensive shield that we have. We have to be ready.”
He pauses in thought for a moment. “We have to destroy those nuclear facilities. Some of our people will die but less than if the Iranians are allowed to continue developing their nuclear weapons. Maybe the rest of the world will now see that our actions are not aggressive but purely defensive. Now, is there anything else that you or your team need?” says Minister Gadi.
“Yes, sir, pray that the Americans will be on time. And pray for us and our nation, shalom!”
“I will. Be careful, shalom!”
The Israeli commandos have completed their preparations. It is time to leave.
Lt. Colonel Raymond turns to his team, “Men, it is time to go, let’s go get our engineers!” Lt. Colonel Raymond and his men with their equipment board the Israeli Air Force C-130J and get settled in for the three and a half hour flight to the US Naval Air Station at Sigonella, Sicily. Their aircraft taxis out and departs.
At NAS Sigonella, the “Batmen” will transfer to a chartered American civilian L-100J, scheduled cargo transport aircraft for the eight hour flight to Nairobi, Kenya. They should arrive in Nairobi, about two hours after the Kalean Air Antonov AN-74TK. They will spend the night and leave the next morning.
The other two Israeli C-130s will depart for NAS Sigonella about two hours after Lt. Colonel Raymond’s C-130 leaves. The UCAV trucks, launchers and operating personnel in these C-130s will transfer to the waiting US Air Force C-17s.
During the flight, Lt. Colonel Raymond reviews the plans and sketches of the underground Natanz nuclear facility. He is counting on the accuracy of these drawings that he has received from the American’s sources inside of Iran. He knows that most of this operation will rely on his ability to improvise, surprise and to overcome the enemy. And besides, they know that have no choice. They have to try and rescue the engineers.