A drama ten years ago highlighted the chasm of technology that exists between U.S. and Iranian air forces.
In 2013, two Iranian F-4 Phantom II fighters, the leftover models from the Vietnam War era, were sent out to intercept a U.S. MQ-1 Predator drone.
Unknown to them, the U.S. Air Force F-22 Raptor was stealthily lurking there, making its message as it slipped under one of the Phantoms unnoticed.
The Iranian pilots were flying airplane models from the 1960s, so they were shocked when the Raptor appeared right beside them.
The American pilot made his warning quite plain: “You really ought to go home.”
This alone told people everything about the stealth capabilities of the F-22, but it also pointed out that all Iran had inherited was something really old and maybe even antique hardware from the era of pre-revolutionary.
It recalled an earlier effort by Iranian Sukhoi Su-25s to take down another Predator, something it could not do in rather humiliating circumstances for Tehran.
F-22 stealth almost seemed like a Top Gun scenario, where surprise and better tech were the decisive factors.
Though the F-22 was shown to be the epitome of stealth capabilities, there still existed a large difference in capability.
Although the Raptor came from so-called dogfighting, the new bird was far beyond the confines of such an air battle.
Especially not for a plane like the F-4, designed mainly for radar-guided missile fights.
The Iranian pilots were entirely fixated on the drone; they did not even know what was coming for them, simply because their ancient aircraft was in no position to counter such a rising threat.
As the geopolitical events change, so do the military technologies and alliances.
The invasion reminds one of such changing dynamics.
The supposed acquisition by Iran of some of Russia’s advanced warplanes has been a cause for concern regarding the balance of power in the region and has become a focal point for military strategists from all over the world.