Tactics can help Iranian fighters ‘break through the Patriot net’

NBC News Last weekend, citing US defense officials, an Iranian F-5 fighter had overcome many layers of air defense to bomb the Buehring garrison base in Kuwait at the beginning of the conflict. This is the first time a US military facility has been attacked by enemy manned flat-wing aircraft in many years.

The Pentagon and Central Command (CENTCOM), the agency in charge of US military operations in the Middle East, declined to comment on the information.

Buehring base is said to be the “logistical lifeblood” of the US military in the Middle East, serving as the main gathering center to deploy forces, conduct maintenance activities and combat support for Washington’s campaigns in the region.

Buehring’s important role prompted the US to deploy a multi-layered air defense network to protect this facility, including the long-range Patriot shield and many short-range air defense systems.

Meanwhile, the F-5 light fighter was developed by Northrop Corporation and put into service with the US Air Force since 1964, with a total of more than 2,600 aircraft shipped in the period 1959-1987. Iran’s current F-5E/F fleet was all produced and delivered before 1979

“This type of aircraft is generally incapable of surviving in a modern combat environment,” said editor Stefano D’Urso of the military aviation website. Aviationist commented, although noting that the F-5’s small size may make it more difficult for air defense systems to detect them.

Military magazine Military Watch Magazine pointed out that Iranian F-5 fighters are not equipped with advanced electronic warfare systems, not to mention stealth technology, so they are much easier to detect and stop than modern fighters. “The multi-layer air defense network around the Buehring base being penetrated by outdated aircraft like the F-5 can be considered a shame,” the magazine commented.

NBC News quoted US officials as saying that the Iranian F-5 flew very low, taking advantage of terrain and terrain to hide, avoiding detection by radar while approaching the target.

“Ground radar is often limited by direct visibility and the horizon. This makes it impossible for them to detect cruise missiles, unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs) and low-flying aircraft until the enemy is very close,” said Hamish de Bretton-Gordon, a former British army officer.

It is unclear whether the Iranian F-5 fighter flew over Iraqi territory or over the sea before entering Kuwait’s airspace. Military commentator James Marinero commented that the pilot chose the shortest route to minimize the risk of being detected by US and allied radar.

“Flying from the Dezful or Omidiyeh area will help the aircraft take advantage of the terrain of the Tigris-Euphrates Delta, near the border with Iraq, and the coastal wetlands of the northern Persian Gulf to hide its whereabouts. If it maintains an altitude below 30 m, the F-5 may not appear until close to the Kuwait border,” Marinero said.

The Iranian fighter jet’s mission seems to be more favorable thanks to the early warning capabilities of the US and its allies, which have been reduced in previous raids. A series of air defense radars, including the AN/TPY-2 of the Terminal High Altitude Area Defense System (THAAD) and the “magic eye” AN/FPS-132, were destroyed or damaged on the first day of the conflict.

Short-range air defense systems will theoretically fill the gap of the Patriot and THAAD complexes, but early warning data is needed.

“An old F-5 operated by Iran that can exploit that gap raises serious questions about the limits of the radar horizon, the response time of the command system and the challenge of trying to detect low-flying objects in the chaotic airspace often seen in wartime,” military website Defense Security Asia commented.

Editor D’Urso also said that the raid took place under very special conditions, stating that Iranian pilots took advantage of the time when “the US air defense network was overloaded due to missile and UAV raids”.

Iran launched a large number of UAVs, including the Shahed and Arash-2 series, to cover enemy radar, creating conditions for fighters to penetrate the target airspace. In Kuwait alone, the country’s military claimed to have shot down at least 98 ballistic missiles and 283 suicide UAVs in 6 weeks of conflict.

“The F-5 took advantage of the chaos to hide while moving,” Marinero said.

Experts also point out that the raid on Buehring base took place in the same period as Kuwait shooting down three US F-15E heavy fighters. CENTCOM said at the time that the US fighter was mistakenly shot down by Kuwaiti forces amid fierce fighting, including “attacks by aircraft, ballistic missiles and UAVs from Iran”.

This is also the only time CENTCOM has confirmed that Iranian aircraft participated in the conflict, but it is unclear whether it was the F-5 that attacked the Buehring base or not.

Pressure from Iran’s high-intensity and high-frequency attacks is also said to increase the risk of defense forces making mistakes, allowing dangerous targets such as enemy fighters to be missed.

“People with their eyes glued to the radar screen must make instant decisions based on instinct, training and supporting technology. They are not allowed to make errors in judgment,” Debanish Achom, radio editor NDTV of India, said.