Stealth F-22 Raptor Can ‘Fly Under’ Enemy Fighters Planes ‘Undetected’

Key Points – In a remarkable 2013 incident over international waters near Iran, a US Air Force F-22 Raptor stealth fighter intercepted two Iranian F-4 Phantom jets attempting to engage an American MQ-1 Predator drone.

-The F-22 pilot flew undetected beneath the Iranian F-4s, then pulled up alongside one to inspect its weapons load before verbally advising the Iranian pilots, “You really outta go home.” The surprised Iranian pilots promptly disengaged and returned to base.

-This encounter starkly demonstrated the F-22’s superior stealth capabilities and situational awareness over older, non-stealth aircraft, effectively neutralizing a potential threat without firing a shot.

The F-22 Raptor Fighter Can Do Anything

If you watch war movies that follow the typical Hollywood script, it seems that pilots flying some of the best fighter jets in the U.S. fleet are constantly in danger of sending missiles to splash enemy airplanes. However, most patrols in real life are uneventful training missions or air policing operations that do not result in any confrontations with the enemy. But when they do occur, it is news, especially when they happen with some of the best stealth fighters in existence.

Let’s take a look at the time an F-22 Raptor had a larger-than-life showdown with two Iranian F-4 Phantoms and lived to tell about it. The Raptor is one of the best fifth-generation fighter jets in the world. It has an irresistible combination of stealth, speed, and maneuverability. This is just the type of air superiority jet that pilots love to fly. The F-22 is designed for dogfighting and dominating adversarial aircraft. Older F-4s are no match.

Some More Background About the F-4

However, the F-4 Phantom is one of my favorite airplanes. It had an unmatched combat record during the Vietnam War. This jet did not know how to quit. The Phantom has considerable staying power, and Iranian pilots still look back approvingly, knowing that the F-4 was one of the best airplanes they ever flew.

The Iranians received their F-4s around 1979, following the Islamic Revolution. Somehow, the Phantoms were still in service in 2013. They required several upgrades and extensive maintenance. The older airframes were outdated, but that didn’t scare the Iranians, who were not going to back down even though they were flying Cold War-era jets. The F-4 is several generations behind the F-22 and the underdog in any confrontation with the Raptor.

F-22 Fighter: What Happened That Day in 2013?

However, let’s focus on one notable event in 2013 that all the aviators involved are unlikely to forget. The F-22 flew sight unseen under two Iranian-flown F-4s and told them simply, “You really outta go home.” The F-4s complied after the risky move from the F-22 pilot turned their tails and ran back to base.

The incident happened over international waters about 16 miles from the coast of Iran. The whole saga started with an earlier flight of an American MQ-1 Predator drone. One day, the Iranians scrambled two Su-25 Frogfoot fighters to intercept the unmanned aerial craft.

Su-25s Make a Combat Move Toward the Predator

The Predator was minding its own business on a reconnaissance mission, and operators thought it was safe to continue with the operation. The Frogfoot pilots had other ideas. Sensing this was going to be an easy kill, the Su-25s let loose with their guns and readied for the destruction of the Predator. However, they could not shoot the drone down when the onboard cannons fired more than 250 rounds.

Sensing this was a close call, the Americans decided to alter tactics. Operators were afraid the next time the drone was unaccompanied, the Iranians would take it out. So commanders ordered that the Predators should be escorted by fighter jets. To do the job, the U.S. Navy would often send F/A-18 E/F Super Hornets from the USS John C. Stennis to help the Predators conduct their missions in safety. Sometimes, American F-22s based in the United Arab Emirates would escort the Predators, too.

This Time the Iranians Were Not Going to Get Off Easy

That all came to a head in 2013. The Predator was conducting its surveillance and gathering intelligence data. Two F-4 Phantoms flown by Iranian pilots spotted the drone and were swooping in for the kill.

One Raptor pilot had seen enough and, perhaps acting a bit aggressively, approached the F-4s and flew underneath without the Phantoms even knowing he was there.

Was This Something From Top Gun?

Then he made a “Top Gun” like cocky gesture with the “you should go home” quip. The Iranian pilots heard the message loud and clear and decided that there was no joy in going up against a Raptor. The F-4s turned tail and flew home.

The F-22 pilot may have heard an earful from his commanding officer after landing. There could have been an international incident if some kind of missile exchange would have happened. That jet was government property, after all, and not something to be toyed with.

However, this incident highlighted the F-22’s high level of radar evasion. Even though the F-4s were hopelessly outdated, the Raptor pilot was able to sneak up close and casually send a warning to the Iranians. If I were the Raptor aviator’s commanding officer, I would have warned my subordinate not to do it again; however, privately, I would have chuckled and chalked it up to a confident pilot doing his job above and beyond the call of duty. No adverse actions would be necessary, but sneaking up so close to any enemy aircraft is something that no pilot or his commander will ever forget.

About the Author: Dr. Brent M. Eastwood

Brent M. Eastwood, PhD is the author of Don’t Turn Your Back On the World: a Conservative Foreign Policy and Humans, Machines, and Data: Future Trends in Warfare plus two other books. Brent was the founder and CEO of a tech firm that predicted world events using artificial intelligence. He served as a legislative fellow for U.S. Senator Tim Scott and advised the senator on defense and foreign policy issues. He has taught at American University, George Washington University, and George Mason University. Brent is a former U.S. Army Infantry officer. He can be followed on X @BMEastwood.

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