A buddy emailed this to me. Thought I would share it
Joe



In addition to communicating with the local Air Traffic Control facility, all aircraft in the Persian Gulf AOR are required to give the Iranian Air Defense Radar (military) a ten minute 'heads up' if they will be transiting Iranian airspace.This is a common procedure for commercial aircraft and involves giving them your call sign, transponder code, type aircraft, and points of origin and destination. This conversation was recorded on flight logs on the VHF Guard (emergency) frequency 121.5 MHz while flying from Europe to Dubai:






As logged from voice flight recorder, the conversation was as follows:

" Iranian Air Defense Radar: 'Unknown aircraft you are in Iranian airspace. Identify yourself.'

Aircraft: 'This is a United States aircraft. I am in Iraqi airspace.'

Air Defense Radar: 'You are in Iranian airspace. If you do not depart our airspace we will launch interceptor aircraft!'

Aircraft: 'This is a United States Marine Corps FA-18 fighter. Send 'em up, I'll wait!'

Air Defense Radar: (no response ... total silence)

Would love to have seen the look on the Air Traffic Controller's face when he received that one...and the look on the interceptor aircraft pilot's face when he realised what they were sending him up against.

Cheers, Vince