US Navy Fighters Intercept Iranian Reconnaissance Plane (upate)

"ttyymmnn" (ttyymmnn) 01/28/2014 at 09:51 • Filed to: planelopnik

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MilitaryPhotos.net claims that these photos show Air Group Commander Capt. John Eden, (USS Abraham Lincoln, CVN-72), flying his F/A-18E Super Hornet, intercepting an Iranian P3-F reconnaissance aircraft during operations in the Persian Gulf and Gulf of Oman. Dukie, one of Oppo's resident military members, has !!!error: Indecipherable SUB-paragraph formatting!!! , and I think he makes a good case. Caveat emptor.

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via !!!error: Indecipherable SUB-paragraph formatting!!!

spanfucker retire bitch > ttyymmnn 01/28/2014 at 09:54

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I see you Iran!

MoparKetchup > ttyymmnn 01/28/2014 at 09:57

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efme > ttyymmnn 01/28/2014 at 10:03

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and?

ttyymmnn > efme 01/28/2014 at 10:05

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No "and." Just interesting pictures. I'm sure it was another typical day in the Persian Gulf.

Dukie - Jalopnik Emergency Management Asshole > ttyymmnn 01/28/2014 at 10:06

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Uh, I've got issues with this.

First, I highly doubt we would allow any foreign aircraft that close to an aircraft carrier, especially an armed reconnaissance aircraft.

Second, If the USN is anything like the USAF, that's most likely NOT Capt. Eden in the cockpit of the F-18. Just because his name is on it, doesn't mean he's the only one that flies it. Especially if it was on alert status.

Third, he doesn't look loaded for an alert mission. 2 missiles seems pretty light for the AOR.

This just smells of a photo op to me.

Edit: CVN 72 is also in port in Newport News, VA right now.
https://www.facebook.com/USSLincoln

Arch Duke Maxyenko, Shit Talk Extraordinaire > ttyymmnn 01/28/2014 at 10:08

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SOON.

ttyymmnn > Dukie - Jalopnik Emergency Management Asshole 01/28/2014 at 10:23

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No indication from the source when the photos were taken. Are you suggesting that this is more likely a US Navy photo shoot?

cardboardarmor > ttyymmnn 01/28/2014 at 10:28

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Bitchin' paint job on the Hornet.

ttyymmnn > Dukie - Jalopnik Emergency Management Asshole 01/28/2014 at 10:28

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The more I look at it, the more I'm beginning to wonder myself. Would the Navy have deployed a Hornet to a potential combat zone with that camouflage pattern?

Dukie - Jalopnik Emergency Management Asshole > ttyymmnn 01/28/2014 at 10:29

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That's what it looks like to me at least.

Rico > ttyymmnn 01/28/2014 at 10:30

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The Stig has gone airborne.

McMike > ttyymmnn 01/28/2014 at 10:35

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What they didn't see was the formation of Q-313 Stealth Fighters on their 6.

Dukie - Jalopnik Emergency Management Asshole > ttyymmnn 01/28/2014 at 10:35

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Yep. While a majority of the aircraft fly subdued colors, there's usually one or two in "full color" schemes.

The Transporter > Rico 01/28/2014 at 10:39

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He's not the Stig, but he is the Stig's fighter pilot cousin!

ttyymmnn > Dukie - Jalopnik Emergency Management Asshole 01/28/2014 at 10:40

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I liked that Centennial of Naval Aviation retro paint scheme.

Dukie - Jalopnik Emergency Management Asshole > ttyymmnn 01/28/2014 at 10:49

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Hell, the Thunderbirds can be converted in a very short amount of time to be combat ready.

BoxerFanatic, troublesome iconoclast. > ttyymmnn 01/28/2014 at 10:52

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Ok...

I get that it shows Capt. John "CAG" Eden, and his plane.

It looks like the photos were taken from a navy prop-driven cargo plane in formation with his F18. I highly doubt the aircraft that is the source of the images is iranian, because we wouldn't have the pictures from it if it were.

It doesn't indicate when these photos were taken.

I see no indication of any Iranian recon aircraft in these photos.

And, Capt. Eden's aircraft is not loaded with ordinance, it is likely not on a mission, maybe maintenance flight, or a ferry flight or something... but the pylons are empty.

ttyymmnn > BoxerFanatic, troublesome iconoclast. 01/28/2014 at 10:59

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Not completely empty. It does have a couple of Sidewinders on it. I'm not sure, though, that the color of the P-3 is a US Navy color (I think it's clearly a P-3 based on the engine location and design). The Lincoln was in the Persian Gulf in 2012.

BoxerFanatic, troublesome iconoclast. > ttyymmnn 01/28/2014 at 11:17

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I think the images were perhaps taken at different times.

The first two images show something (maybe sidewinders are that tiny, but they look pretty small) on the wingtip hard points.

but the fourth and fifth images look like empty rails.

ttyymmnn > BoxerFanatic, troublesome iconoclast. 01/28/2014 at 11:27

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Interesting observation. In the photo of the right side of the Hornet, the rail sure looks empty. In the second photo, both rails are clearly loaded. It certainly wouldn't be beyond the Iranians to cobble images together to imply that their plane got that close to the carrier. I visited the site that is watermarked in the photos, but couldn't find them there, and I can't read Persian. Interesting puzzle.

ASheep > ttyymmnn 01/28/2014 at 18:37

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This has to be a couple of years ago at least, seeing as CVN-72 is currently at Newport news undergoing her refuelling.

The plane the photos are taken from is definitely a P3. The high mounted intake nacelle is a very distinctive engine design. The paint scheme on the P3 is interesting, US and allied P3s are usually either solid grey or white, most nations ditched the 2 tone paint job decades ago. By all reports Iran still operates the older paint schemes, including silly breakup camo and two tones.

This could be legit, but it would be from a while ago.

ttyymmnn > ASheep 01/28/2014 at 19:16

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According to Wikipedia, the last time the Lincoln was in the Persian Gulf was 2012. No dates were given for the photos.

Bubbles22 > Dukie - Jalopnik Emergency Management Asshole 01/28/2014 at 21:05

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Agreed. The shots are from a P3, but it is way too close to a carrier. Especially if the P3 is from a hostile nation. Also, how did we get the pictures? Iran is not really one for sharing with us.

Krieger (@FSKrieger22) > Dukie - Jalopnik Emergency Management Asshole 01/29/2014 at 03:55

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Would those be the CAG's (as in those pics above) or the squadron leader's birds? It's always seemed that way to me...

Dukie - Jalopnik Emergency Management Asshole > Krieger (@FSKrieger22) 01/29/2014 at 08:49

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Most of the time, I would say yes. At my old base, each squadron had one aircraft that was assigned to the SQ/CC and one for the Demonstration team (there was also one for the numbered AF Commander and Wing Commander as well). The paint was the same (USAF doesn't like to change paint schemes too much) but it had full color emblems for the squadron and ACC patches behind the cockpit.

Demo jets and the 12AF/CC jet also had white vertical stabilizer caps (demo also flew with a chromed gun muzzle and other polished parts).

John Norris (AngryDrifter) > ttyymmnn 02/01/2014 at 19:06

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I don't think that's an Iranian P-3F.

John Norris (AngryDrifter) > John Norris (AngryDrifter) 02/01/2014 at 19:28

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Yellow prop tips, blue and grey paint scheme on nacelle. Not very common. It looks like this P-3:

USN P-3 Special Paint Scheme

ttyymmnn > John Norris (AngryDrifter) 02/01/2014 at 19:39

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Check out this lead image from The Aviationist link. I did not post this pic.

John Norris (AngryDrifter) > ttyymmnn 02/01/2014 at 19:54

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Yes, no yellow prop tips. I say different aircraft, or at least different time frame.

Robert Maxwell > ttyymmnn 02/02/2014 at 16:43

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In the Navy, the Squadron commander get's his aircraft painted anyway he so chooses. If you look at that F/A-18, on the side, it said "CAG," meaning he is the USAF equivalent of the Wing Commander. He is responsible for all of the aircraft and air operations on the carrier he is the Commander, Air Group on.