Nose-to-nose @ 70,000 feet

Los Angeles Times
March 3, 2003

Iraqi MIG-25 Entered Saudi Space, U.S. Says

By Reuters

PRINCE SULTAN AIR BASE, Saudi Arabia –U.S. warplanes came within two minutes of firing at an Iraqi MIG-25 fighter jet after it sneaked into Saudi airspace last week, U.S. Air Force pilots said Sunday.

The daring probe Thursday by Iraq’s fastest warplane — a move rarely attempted since the 1991 Persian Gulf War — indicates that Baghdad is willing to take risks to test U.S.-led forces rapidly building up troops, planes and other equipment in Saudi Arabia, U.S. military personnel said.

“He came 15 to 20 miles into Saudi airspace and went nose-to-nose with us at 70,000 feet,” F-15C fighter pilot Lt. Col. Matt “Zap” Molloy said. “He wisely turned around when we gave him a good hard radar lock…. We were two minutes away from firing an air-to-air missile in his direction.”

Saudi officials said they had no knowledge of any such incursion.