RQ-170 in the hands of Iran

Iran has confirmed that almost undamaged American UAV Stealth latest generation RQ-170 Sentinel was in his hands. The machine showed there had been television.


The interception and forced to land an American UAV Stealth RQ-170 Sentinel Irańczyli reported a few days ago ( Iranians RQ-170 shot down? , 2011-12-05). They said that thanks to a special electronic equipment (unofficially - of Russian origin), they managed to disrupt his communications with the station control and cause a fall in the territory of Iran. He had to make cyber-branch Revolutionary Guard Corps. Bezpilotowiec had to get into the hands of Iranian soldiers without serious damage. Later refined the Iranians that the RQ-170 fell 4 December more than 200 km from the border with Afghanistan.

The command of ISAF after Iranian revelations confirmed that contact was lost with one of bezpilotowców flying in the area of ​​the Afghan-Iranian border, but was not called any details. In the end the Americans unofficially admitted that they lost their UAV, which perform flights for the CIA, recognizing the nuclear facilities (satellite systems are much less precise and can stay on the interesting regions only by a fixed time, which limits their effectiveness in detecting the secret installation). Confirmed in this way that this could be the RQ-170 Sentinel. Unofficial sources in the intelligence agency said, however, that the machine was completely destroyed - in another case, an action to recover it, or blow up in the air commandos resume, and if it would be impossible, the district would fall bezpilotowca bombed. For Americans, however, decided not to.

Yesterday, Iranian television showed bezpilotowiec finally captured, as it turned out without any serious damage. The pictures show a small recess at the leading edge, only the underside of the airframe is covered with propaganda rags, which may, but need not, provide a greater destruction of those parts of the structure. The extreme interpretation says that the Iranians themselves made demonstrated a model of RQ-170, which no one outside a narrow circle of specialists in the U.S. has not seen up close, so it is difficult to verify its appearance. Judging by the number shown in the details of construction and the U.S. response, however, it is very unlikely.

More than two-minute film also appeared on the official website of the Revolutionary Guards Corps. It shows the brig. Amir Ali Hajizadeha viewer RQ-170 in the company of another Iranian officer. Password on a prominent banner reads: Death to America, death to Israel, death of England .

American analysts are considering the possible consequences of falling into the hands of Iranian art bezpilotowca used operationally. Iran has previously reported on similar prey sharing by professionals from the countries that maintain correct relations with Tehran, including The Russians. This time, an opportunity occurred to examine not only the airframe structure and stealth techniques used (composition and structure of coatings, interference device), but also reconnaissance systems (sophisticated optics that allows to obtain high resolution images), communication and management, and even the contents of the database and software . He wonders why, in such a sophisticated structure is not self-destruct system was used, but only - as many of the points - automatic landing system after a disturbance transmission and / or job-board equipment.


According to unofficial information, the CIA used the RQ-170 to a number of secret missions, including the North Korea. In Afghanistan bezpilotowiec this type is disclosed in 2009 ( RQ-170 revealed , 2009-12-09). The Americans admitted that they used it there since 2007. This year, the Sentinel was to be used in the action of killing the leaders of Al Qaeda, Osama bin Laden. It was noted before the start - as it turned out - commando action began.