Recently, an incident took place over the Gulf of Oman that involved the United States Navy. An Iranian military helicopter took it upon themselves to buzz over the USS Essex, a WASP class amphibious assault ship. They did this with the audacity of getting within 25 yards in a confirmed video and report given by the Pentagon this past week.
The incident took place on November 11th during three separate fly-overs with one of these dangerous maneuvers getting as close as 10 feet over the ocean’s surface close by the ship.
Clearly, this is an unsafe and irresponsible decision for any aircraft to attempt to do over a ship, and as of right now, it’s unclear the reason as to why this specific harassment took place. Were the Iranians trying to be a threatening presence, or was it something more?
A Video Shows Just How Close Range the Chopper Flew
In the 42 second video that was obtained, it comes from the pilot’s cockpit on the Iranian helicopter and shows just how close the chopper actually comes into the space of the USS Essex.
Not a stunt that anyone on board the Naval ship appreciated. The US Navy reported that although the operations of the vessel weren’t affected by the buzzing, they did position themselves for a possible attack by getting all their weapons ready for an assault, but followed all the protocols of international maritime law.
The week before, there was also a report by the Pentagon that said a few Iranian drones had approached the USS Essex. There has been some upset lately with the Iranian government accusing the United States of detaining a ship carrying oil from Iran.
John Kirby, who is the press secretary for the Pentagon, said in a briefing last week that Iran’s behavior was an “unsafe and unprofessional act.” He further went on to say that the United States will continue to “look after our security interests in the region and will fly, sail, and operate where international law permits.”
Not the First Incident With Iran
This isn’t the first time an incident like this has occurred. The Navy routinely makes reports of inappropriate flying tactics and boating maneuvers in this specific region in the Gulf of Oman and around other spots in the Persian Gulf. The activities usually don’t come from the Iranian leadership, but mainly revolve around the IRGC Navy doing irresponsible things directed by local commanders.
Many times this has taken place in the Strait of Hormuz, where a third of the world’s oil passes through in transit. None of the recent encounters involved live fire. The most recent incidents before this one in November occurred in April and May of 2021, where smaller Iranian warships came within close range of two US Coast Guard ships.
The government of Iran tries to downplay these incidents by not really reporting on them in their local regions. It’s clear to see that the United States Navy is not going to feel threatened and will take the appropriate measures to protect the men who serve our seas at all costs.
Within 75 feet? Close enough for a paint ball gun to reach, paint it up like a rainbow.!