150: Chapter 147 First Battle

December 15, 1981, over western Iran.

The Iraqi bomber fleet took off before dawn.

Twenty-four MiG-23 fighter-bombers, divided into three formations, targeted Iran's oil fields, ports, and military facilities.

The Iraqi Air Force headquarters believed that this bombing mission would go smoothly.

Iran's air defense system had always been weak, and Iran's air defense missiles had never been able to effectively intercept Iraqi bombers.

But this time, everything was different.

Iranian Air Defense Command Center, Kermanshah.

Fatima sat in front of the command center screen, watching the targets appear on the radar.

Twenty-four targets were flying toward Iranian airspace.

"All positions, prepare," she said over the radio, "the targets are about to enter effective range."

The five air defense positions replied simultaneously: "Ready."

Fatima looked at the data on the screen.

The bomber fleet's altitude was 5,000 meters, and its speed was 900 kilometers per hour.

The Persian-4 Missile had an effective range of 30 kilometers and a maximum altitude of 6,000 meters.

The bomber fleet still had 15 kilometers to go before entering effective range.

Fatima waited.

Her hand rested above the launch button, but she did not press it.

She was waiting for the optimal moment to intercept.

Iraqi bomber fleet, in the air.

Captain Hassan Abdullah looked at the sky ahead from the cockpit.

He had already flown over a hundred bombing missions.

He knew how weak Iran's air defense system was.

He didn't even turn on the air defense warning system.

He thought it was a waste of time.

But his co-pilot turned it on.

"Sir," the co-pilot said, "we have received an air defense warning signal."

Hassan Abdullah glanced at the warning system.

The screen showed that a radar was tracking them.

"It is Iran's old-fashioned air defense radar," he said, "don't worry."

He continued to fly forward.

Air Defense Command Center.

The bomber fleet entered effective range.

Fatima looked at the data on the screen.

Distance: 28 kilometers.

Altitude: 5,000 meters.

Speed: 900 kilometers per hour.

"Position One," she said, "fire."

The commander of Position One pressed the launch button.

A Persian-4 Missile lifted off.

Iraqi bomber fleet.

Hassan Abdullah suddenly saw a bright spot rising from the ground.

"Missile!" he shouted.

He immediately pulled up the control stick and began to climb.

But it was too late.

The missile's speed was 2,000 kilometers per hour, much faster than the bomber.

The missile tracked the bomber in the air.

The bomber made a sharp turn, trying to evade the missile.

But the missile followed the turn.

The bomber performed a roll, trying to shake off the missile.

But the missile continued to track it.

The distance was closing.

From 5 kilometers, to 3 kilometers, to 1 kilometer.

Hassan Abdullah looked at the missile on the screen; he knew he couldn't escape.

He made one last desperate maneuver, diving rapidly.

But the missile also descended.

At an altitude of 1,000 meters, the missile and the bomber collided.

A huge explosion flashed in the air.

The MiG-23 fighter-bomber was destroyed.

Air Defense Command Center.

On the screen, the first target disappeared.

"Hit!" an operator shouted.

Fatima did not celebrate. She continued to watch the screen.

There were still 23 targets left.

"Position Two," she said, "fire."

The second missile lifted off.

Iraqi bomber fleet.

When the first bomber was destroyed, the other bombers saw it.

They saw the explosion, and they heard the screams over the radio.

Then, they saw more missiles lifting off.

Five missiles lifted off from five different directions.

The bomber fleet's formation immediately broke up, and every bomber tried to escape.

But the missiles were too fast.

The second bomber was hit and exploded in mid-air.

The third bomber tried to evade, but the missile followed it and turned.

The fourth bomber made a rapid descent, trying to hide in the mountains.

But the missile also descended.

In the valley, the missile and the bomber collided.

Another explosion.

Air Defense Command Center.

On the screen, five targets disappeared.

"Five hits!" the operator shouted.

Fatima watched the screen.

There were still 18 targets left.

But these 18 targets were now fleeing.

They abandoned the bombing mission and turned to flee Iranian airspace.

"Pursue them," Fatima said, "don't let them escape."

Position Three and Position Four fired missiles.

Four more missiles lifted off.

Iraqi bomber fleet.

The bomber fleet was now in chaos.

They had lost five aircraft.

They couldn't see where the enemy was; they could only see the missiles tracking them.

The bomber fleet commander ordered a full-speed retreat.

All the bombers turned and began to fly toward Iraqi airspace.

But the missiles continued to track them.

The sixth bomber was hit.

The seventh bomber was hit.

The eighth bomber was hit.

The ninth bomber was hit.

Air Defense Command Center.

On the screen, nine targets disappeared.

"Nine hits!" the operator shouted.

Fatima looked at the remaining targets on the screen.

There were 15 left.

But these 15 had now left Iranian airspace and were flying toward Iraq.

"Stop the pursuit," Fatima said, "let them go."

The operator stopped firing.

On the screen, the 15 targets continued to fly toward Iraq.

Fatima watched the screen, and a satisfied smile appeared on her face.

Nine hits.

Nine Iraqi bombers were destroyed.

This was the first victory for the Iranian air defense system.

Iraqi Air Force headquarters.

The commander was reading a combat report.

Twenty-four bombers departed, nine were destroyed, and 15 returned.

The loss rate was 37.5 percent.

This was a loss the Iraqi Air Force had never experienced before.

The commander's expression was grim.

"Iran has a new air defense system," he said to the Chief of Staff, "an air defense system we don't know about."

"Yes," the Chief of Staff said, "according to the reports from the returning bombers, Iran's air defense missiles are very fast and have strong tracking capabilities."

"This changes everything," the commander said, "we need to change our bombing strategy."

He picked up the phone and made a call to the General Staff Headquarters in Baghdad.

Baghdad, Iraqi General Staff.

Saddam Hussein was listening to the commander's report.

Nine bombers were destroyed.

This was a huge blow.

"What model is Iran's air defense missile?" he asked.

"We don't know," the commander said, "but according to the bomber reports, it is a new system. Fast speed, strong tracking capabilities."

"This is what Iran developed in Kermanshah," Saddam Hussein said, "this is the missile that the agent photographed."

He paced back and forth in his office.

"We underestimated Iran," he said, "we thought Iran's air defense system was weak, but Iran has developed a new, more powerful air defense system."

"We need to change our bombing strategy," the Chief of Staff said, "we can no longer conduct high-altitude bombing. We need to conduct low-altitude bombing, or we need to use electronic warfare to jam Iran's air defense system."

"Do both," Saddam Hussein said, "I want to continue bombing Iran. I cannot let Iran think they have already won."