F-16 shot down Iranian drone in February - Air Force News | News from Afghanistan & Iraq - Air Force Times

Quick Links

Webtools

Click here for Military Times Webtools
Print Email
Bookmark and Share
http://www.airforcetimes.com/news/2009/03/airforce_iran_uav_031609/

F-16 shot down Iranian drone in February


By Michael Hoffman - Staff writer
Posted : Monday Mar 16, 2009 12:05:41 EDT

The Iranian unmanned aircraft downed by coalition forces last month in Iraqi airspace was shot down by an American F-16, according to an Air Force officer familiar with the operation who asked to remain anonymous.

Coalition Air Forces tracked the Iranian drone for 70 minutes after it entered Iraqi airspace Feb. 25 before shooting it down 60 miles northeast of Baghdad, said 1st Lt. John A. Brimley, a spokesman at Multi-National Forces-Iraq, in a statement.

Maj. Gen. Abdul Aziz Mohammed Jassim, head of military operations at the Iraqi Defense Ministry, told Reuters the Iranians likely made a “mistake” flying the drone six miles inside Iraq, but a U.S. statement said the aircraft’s presence over Iraqi airspace “was not an accident.”

Two pilots in the area confirmed it didn’t belong to coalition forces, Brimley said. The drone was an Ababil-3 reconnaissance unmanned aircraft, he said.

It was shot down only after it was determined there was no risk of collateral damage, Brimley said.

———

The Associated Press contributed to this report.

Videos You May Be Interested In

Leave a Comment





Contests and Promotions

Free Stickers


promo Click here and we'll send you a FREE AFGHANISTAN, IRAQ, VIETNAM, or DESERT STORM sticker.

MIl-MALL

Browse and buy some of the awesome products we have at Mil-mall.com

Military Discounts


Save on your purchases!
In honor of your military service, you can find regular and name brand products at a special discount.