Israeli Air Force Intercepts CO EWR-TLV Flight

[Matt Molnar]

Jerusalem Post:

IAF fighter jets intercept US airliner

Apr. 11, 2007 20:18 | Updated Apr. 11, 2007 21:34

By YAAKOV KATZ

The Israeli Air Force came the closest ever in its history Wednesday afternoon to intercepting and destroying a civilian airliner which had failed to make contact with Air Traffic Control and comply with international regulations as it approached the country's airspace.

Four fighter jets - two F-15s and another pair of F-16s - buzzed a Continental Airlines flight, which had originated in New York and was carrying close to 300 passengers, once it reached the five-mile mark before Israel after the pilot failed to contact Ben-Gurion Airport upon his approach and in line with international regulations.

A senior Air Force officer said that the IAF went on high alert due to the suspicious incoming aircraft. He said that Prime Minister Ehud Olmert and Defense Minister Amir Peretz were updated about the event and IDF Chief of General Staff Lt.-Gen. Gabi Ashkenazi as well as IAF chief Maj.-Gen. Elazar Shkedy were placed "online" in case an interception order was needed.

"This was the closest we ever came to intercepting a civilian airplane," the officer said.

According to the officer, the pilot of the Boeing 777 contacted Ben-Gurion Air Traffic Control from a distance of 200 miles from Israel but then contact was lost. Once the plane reached a 40-mile distance from Israel - a five-minute flight to Tel Aviv - the IAF dispatched the fighter jets to inspect the aircraft and ensure that it had not been taken over by terrorists.

[USAF Pilot 07]

Wow! Shows how alert the Israeli military is.

[Nonstop2AUH]

When it says international regulations, does this mean that a policy was violated that would apply to an approaching aircraft in any other country, or was their something specific to Israel here?

[moose135]

When it says international regulations, does this mean that a policy was violated that would apply to an approaching aircraft in any other country, or was their something specific to Israel here?

I don't know the specific Israeli regulations, but it sounds like the Air Defense Identification Zone (ADIZ) here in the US. Try entering through the ADIZ without talking to somebody, and you are apt to have a couple of F-15s flying off your wing in fairly short order.

[PhilDernerJr]

Hoep this isn't too off-topic for you, but when there are fighters on "ready alert" how is that set up? Are pilots on shift sitting in their planes ready to turn them on at the signal? Or is it that they sit in anoffice and run out to the plane when called? Do they stay in the air for their shift?

I would think that some of those possibilities could add minutes that could be very much needed if something is going down. I just can't imagine how they can scramble fighters to successfully intercept an threatening aircraft that is 5 minutes from reaching its target.

[T-Bird76]

Hoep this isn't too off-topic for you, but when there are fighters on "ready alert" how is that set up? Are pilots on shift sitting in their planes ready to turn them on at the signal? Or is it that they sit in anoffice and run out to the plane when called? Do they stay in the air for their shift?

I would think that some of those possibilities could add minutes that could be very much needed if something is going down. I just can't imagine how they can scramble fighters to successfully intercept an threatening aircraft that is 5 minutes from reaching its target.

Back in the SAC days crews were always on standby and could be off the ground in 8 mins. Also remember there are routine patrols in the air at a l times.

[moose135]

From my understanding of current air defense fighter operations, and with no knowledge of classified information, the aircraft (typically two at a location, various places along the coasts) are "cocked" and ready to launch. That means all pre-flight check list items completed up to engine start. The pilots are standing by in a nearby building, waiting for the alert signal. When the klaxon sounds, it's a mad dash to the jet, and a quick launch. It is possible, if there is reason to believe there might be reason for immediate launch, to sit cockpit alert, but I don't know if that is done to any great extent. Can't be comfortable, strapped into an ejection seat, in the cold or heat, for an extended period of time.

Back in the SAC days crews were always on standby and could be off the ground in 8 mins.

8 minutes? Only in the movies :D

Back in the old SAC days, I got to sit a fair amount of alert. We normally would pull alert one week out of every three. Again, our aircraft were cocked, ready for engine start. We had an alert facility where we lived for the week - it had bedrooms (aircraft commanders got a single room, co-pilot & navigator from a crew shared a room, and boom operators paired up regardless of crew) We also had a dining hall, several TV lounges, and a game room with a pool table, ping pong and a few other games. The aircraft were parked on the familiar "Christmas tree" ramp outside. We could travel to most places on base - we had full size, 4 door pickups, with lights & sirens. When the klaxon when off (we typically had one exercise a tour) we would go to the aircraft "as fast as safety permits", which when you are on base with lights & sirens, is a license to steal :D Pull off the intake & pitot covers, climb on board, fire it up (we used cartridges in two engines - occasionally all 4 - for engine starts) and get the coded message from our command post, hoping it was just another exercise. From time to time, depending on exercise or real-world conditions, we would sit cockpit alert, usually no more that 4-6 hours at a time, but of course, we could get up and walk around, and if we were there for a while, the roach coach would delivery box lunches.

[Nonstop2AUH]

Not to state the obvious, but this could have precipitated the mother of all political nightmares. I have to wonder if there was a technical failure because I can't believe any aircrew assigned to fly TLV sector wouldn't be aware of just how (understandably) touchy the Israelis are. Will be interesting to see if there is any comment on this from CO public relations/management.

[stuart schechter]

To think that your plane could have been shot down is just a scary thought. Wrong place at the wrong time.

[cancidas]

now i'm no expert on israel, but i doubt that they have ever not taken anything seriously. if the airplanes that we're airborne already they were probably off the ground in no less than 10 minutes. it wouldn't surprise me if they had aircraft airborne over israel conducting CAPs as often as we do.

[SCOTYDEMCO]

Moose is right Phil. I spoke to a DC ANG Viper driver last year who was launched to intercept a civilian plane that entered restricted airspace. They have Jets on base ready to launch for such an event.

Back during the Cold War in "Operation Chrome Dome" the U.S. had
B-52's with nukes, flying patterns. For several years there were constantly 4 to 6 B-52's, fully loaded in the air, 24/7/365. That's pretty crazy.

I agree it is a scary situation and thank God it turned out ok. Would have been something though to have a window seat on that flight with your 30D and your 1 to 4 Canon L lens

[hiss srq]

That certainly would be intresting to be sitting there merry sipping a screwdriver and all of the sudden you look out in time to see your 777 get thumped by an Eagle.

[moose135]

Back during the Cold War in "Operation Chrome Dome" the U.S. had B-52's with nukes, flying patterns. For several years there were constantly 4 to 6 B-52's, fully loaded in the air, 24/7/365. That's pretty crazy.

Talk about scary! They only had the B-52s flying airborne alert for about 5 years, back in the early '60s. There were a couple of accidents (at least one mid-air between a B-52 & KC-135 while refueling) and the program was halted. Fortunately, that kind of stuff was over long before I got to SAC. By then, the only thing pulling 24/7 airborne alert was the EC-135 Looking Glass command post.

[Mateo]

Plus, when General Ripper issued Wing Attack Plan R, the whole airborne alert idea was rethought!

1.) The DC ANG at Andrews is a Scramblable unit. I'm fairly sure there are also a couple of -16s on alert at Langley (near Norfolk). The duty was pulled by a detachment from the North Dakota ANG until they were reassigned to C-21s and Predators. It's now done by the Vermont ANG.

2.) I was on CO90 last year! It's a small country with a big air force. You hear fighters overhead all the time, and it wouldn't surprise me if there was a permanent CAP over the nuclear power plant* in Dimona, which is itself something like 20 miles from the Jordanian border. From that area to an area just offshore Tel Aviv is about 100 miles, which doesn't take very long in an F-15.

3.) Back in the 70s, the Israeli Air Force shot down a Libyan airliner that was flying over (then-Israel-held) Sinai.

4.) As I write this, there are a pair of F-16s from Shaw AFB CAPping over Camp David, just about 50 miles north of here.

*Err, film factory.

[USAF Pilot 07]

Anyone know if some of the 16s out of Cape Cod are on alert as well? Just curious..