Click to see full-size image. (Flightradar24)
A United States Navy reconnaissance plane on October 4 flew close to the coastal Iranian province of Bushehr, where the Islamic Republic’s only functioning reactor is located.
The unusual P-8 Poseidon flight over the Persian Gulf was picked up by Flightradar24 and several other aviation tracking websites. The large reconnaissance plane flew close to the coast of Bushehr, but didn’t violate Iranian airspace at any moment.
The province is home to the Bushehr Nuclear Power Plant, which includes the Islamic Republic’s only functioning reactor. This was the only Iranian nuclear facility that was not targeted by Israel or the United States during the 12-day war last June.
While the nuclear power plant is the most important facility located in Bushehr, the province does also host several key military installations like the Bushehr Naval Base, the 6th Tactical Air Base, and the southern region command post of Khatam al-Anbiya Air Defense Headquarters.
The P8, which is based on a Boeing 737 Next Generation airliner, was designed for anti-submarine warfare and anti-surface warfare. However, the plan is also capable of carrying out more general intelligence, surveillance and reconnaissance.
Click to see full-size image.
In March, around three months before the surprise Israeli attack on Iran, a U.S. Navy P-8 escorted by several fighter jets made a similar flight near Bushehr. It was reported at the time that Iran scrambled its own fighter jets to intercept the formation.
Tensions between Iran and the United States are once again building up. The last few days saw a mass deployment of aerial refueling tankers by the U.S. Air Force between Europe and the Middle East. The U.S. Navy’s largest aircraft carrier also entered the Mediterranean Sea. In addition, unusual activists by U.S. special forces were observed in Syria.
While the unusual flight near Bushehr confirms that the U.S. is keeping a close eye on Iran, a new attack on the Islamic Republics remains unlikely as of now.
Iran is, however, preparing for the worst, with recent reports suggesting that it was working to rebuild its air defenses, air force and boost its missile forces.
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