Un avión de patrulla marítima de la Armada de Irán, se aproximó el pasado 21-04-10, al portaaviones USS Eisenhower, volando a unos 300 pies de altura.
El incidente se produjo al inicio de las maniobras militares que desarrollaba Irán en esas fechas para mostrar sus capacidades militares.
El Eisenhower navegaba por el golfo de Omán en apoyo de la operación en Afganistán, cuando la aeronave se acercó hasta unas 1.000 yardas del buque.
El encuentro no supuso una amenaza. Aunque es normal que aviones iraníes y norteamericanos se encuentren en la zona del Golfo Pérsico, no es habitual que el encuentro se produzca en zonas mas alejadas como es el Golfo de Omán.
El Almirante Gary Roughead, el oficial de mas alto rango de la US Navy, confirmó el incidente, pero declaró que "los iraníes no fueron provocativos o amenazantes, sino que el encuentro se produjo de manera profesional en el espacio aéreo internacional".
El radar del Eisenhower detectó el avión a unas 100 millas de distancia. Se trataba de un Fokker F27 desarmado, que permaneció en el área del Eisenhower unos 20 minutos.
La US Navy cree que Irán solo quería ver de cerca el portaaviones, sin confirmar si tomaron fotografías, y que solo pretendía mostrar sus capacidades a Estados Unidos, poniéndo énfasis en que el encuentro fue profesional y sin confrontación.
(cnn.com)
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An Iranian navy plane that approached a U.S. aircraft carrier last week was flying as low as 300 feet as it neared the USS Eisenhower, U.S. military officials said Wednesday.
The incident, first reported by CNN on Tuesday, came as Iran was beginning a series of military exercises last week meant to show off their military prowess.
The Eisenhower was on duty in the Gulf of Oman in the northern Arabian Sea, in support of the Afghanistan war efforts, when the Iranian maritime patrol aircraft flew within 1,000 yards of the vessel.
While the encounter was not threatening, it was unusual. U.S. navy ships have regularly encountered Iranian aircraft in the Persian Gulf in recent years, but this encounter took place in the Gulf of Oman, in an area where Iranian jets are seen much less frequently, several Navy officials said.
Adm. Gary Roughead, the top Navy officer, confirmed the April 21 incident. The Iranians were "not provocative or threatening. As long as they are professional and not threatening or reckless, it's international space," he said.
Radar on the Eisenhower and other U.S. ships in the vicinity closely tracked the Iranian aircraft as it approached the aircraft carrier to ensure it maintained a nonthreatening path. The Iranian plane was tracked by U.S. units for nearly 100 miles before it reached the Eisenhower.
The Iranian aircraft was a Fokker F27 that was unarmed. It remained in the vicinity of the Eisenhower for about 20 minutes before leaving the area.
U.S. officials believe the Iranians wanted a close look at the carrier, but they could not say if the Iranians took photos of the ship.
One of the officials also said Iran may simply have been trying to demonstrate its aerial capabilities to the United States.
U.S. military officials continue to emphasize that recent encounters with Iranian naval forces in the Persian Gulf have been professional and without confrontation or problems. The U.S. Navy takes great care to try to stay out of the way of any Iranian forces in the region.
(cnn.com)
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