

### NATANZ: The Final Notice

By: Jason Kramer

Copyright ©: Final Notice Publications, Incorporated, 2012

Published by Final Notice Publications, Inc. at Smashwords

ISBN: 9781476288987

This book is a work of fiction. The names, characters, businesses, organizations and incidents are fictitious. Any similarity to current events, situations, people or places is purely coincidental or a figment of the author's imagination.

NATANZ: The Final Notice

By: Jason Kramer

To what lengths will the Islamic Republic of Iran go to protect their Nuclear Enrichment Program?

A private chartered business jet carrying 24 Israeli engineers is intercepted over the Saudi Arabian desert and forced to land at an Iranian military airfield. Who are these engineers and what are the Iranians planning to do with them? How will the Israeli and the American governments respond to this latest attempt by the Iranians to pursue their nuclear ambitions?

Lt. Colonel Benjamin Raymond of the elite Israeli Defense Force's Sayeret Maglan Unit has been assigned the job of rescuing these engineers. He and his team of Israeli Special Forces commandos will have to infiltrate deep into enemy territory to the nuclear facility at Natanz, Iran. How will the other Persian Gulf countries in the region respond?

Will this attempt by the Iranian Supreme National Security Council to protect their nuclear facilities succeed or will this be the Final Notice that will be given to the Iranians?
Prologue **:**

CBSNEWS.com: July 08, 2008

Iran test-fired nine long- and medium-range missiles during war games that officials said aimed to show the country can retaliate against any U.S. or Israeli attack. The exercise was conducted at the mouth of the Strait of Hormuz, a strategic waterway through which about 40 percent of the world's oil passes. "Iran's development of ballistic missiles is a violation of United Nations Security Council resolutions and completely inconsistent with Iran's obligations to the world," said White House spokesman Gordon Johndroe.

Washington Times: July 6, 2010

The United Arab Emirates ambassador to the United States said Tuesday that the benefits of bombing Iran's nuclear program outweigh the short term costs such an attack would impose.

In unusually blunt remarks, Ambassador Yousef al-Otaiba publicly endorsed the use of the military option for countering Iran's nuclear program, if sanctions fail to stop the country's quest for nuclear weapons.

"I think that it is a cost-benefit analysis," Mr. al-Otaiba said. "I think despite the large amount of trade we do with Iran, which is close to $12 billion...there will be consequences, there will be backlash and there will be problems with people protesting and rioting and very unhappy that there is an outside force attacking a Muslim country; that is going to happen no matter what."

"If you are asking me, "Am I willing to live with that versus living with a nuclear Iran? My answer is still the same: 'We cannot live with a nuclear Iran.' I am willing to absorb what takes place at the expense of the security of the UAE."

Mr. al-Otaiba made his comments in response to a question after a public interview session with The Atlantic magazine at the Aspen Ideas Festival, here. They echo those of some Arab diplomats who have said similar things in private to their American counterparts but never this bluntly in public.

Haaretz.com: 02-02-2012 by Amos Harel

"Some 200,000 missiles aimed consistently at Israel, top IDF officer says...Head of military intelligence Aviv Kochavi reiterates army estimates that Iran could further enrich that uranium it already has to create 4 atomic bombs."
Jehovah God's message to Joshua before entering the Promise Land

"Be strong and very courageous. Be careful to obey all the law my servant Moses gave you; do not turn from it to the right or to the left, that you may be successful wherever you go. Keep this Book of the Law always on your lips; meditate on it day and night, so that you may be careful to do everything written in it. Then you will be prosperous and successful. Have I not commanded you? Be strong and courageous. Do not be afraid; do not be discouraged, for the Lord your God will be with you wherever you go." Joshua 1:7-9; NIV

Notice: This book is a work of fiction. The names, characters, businesses, organizations, events, places and incidents are fictitious. Any similarity to current events, situations, locations or persons is purely a coincidence or a figment of the author's imagination.

**Chapter** **1**

Day 1: 1400Z: Sakhir Air Base: Kingdom of Bahrain

"A6-FIN, cleared flight plan route, A791 KFA, UM691, Flight Level 360, squawk 2590." First Officer Scott Wilson reads back the route clearance to the Sakhir Air Base Ground Control as Israeli Security Officer Captain Yosef Rabin observes the preflight procedures.

"Captain, show me the route on the MAP display," asks Captain Rabin. Captain Frank Pierce pulls up the flight plan route on the instrument panel's multi-function display unit navigation page. Captain Pierce has been flying this route since it began six months ago and has been in the Middle East for three years after he took an early retirement from a major US airline.

Previous to his airline career, Captain Pierce served as a Major in the United States Air Force. He ended his Air Force career, flying the E-3C AWACS, so he is very familiar with this part of the world. He was offered a pilot position with the airlines and left the Air Force to pursue his lifelong dream.

When the economy declined after the terrorists' attacks on September 11, 2001, in the United States, Captain Pierce flew for about six more years. He took his pension payout and left for the Middle East to do contract flying for a European jet charter company operating from the Dubai International Airport in the United Arab Emirates.

Captain Pierce scrolls through the flight plan on the MAP display. The requested and planned flight plan route takes the Boeing Business Jet northwest over the Persian Gulf, west across Saudi Arabia to Cairo, Egypt and then northeast to Larneca, Cyprus. Yosef makes sure that the planned route avoids the airspace of Iraq, Syria and Jordan. "OK, let me know if there are any changes" as he picks up his backpack, pulls out the portable satellite telephone and returns to his seat in the cabin. The Cabin Attendant offers a cup of tea and a tray of dates as Yosef begins to dial his satellite phone.

"Echo 21, ready for departure, route as briefed, ETA approximately four and a half hours from now, over", Yosef speaks into the sat phone. "Control copies; have a safe flight." Yosef puts his satellite phone back into his backpack and relaxes in his seat as best as he can.

Yosef is a Captain in the Israeli Defense Force's Sayeret Golani, a trained Special Forces commando. He has been assigned security of this round trip flight from Bahrain to Larneca, Cyprus. Yosef and his team have been in the Kingdom of Bahrain for six months. Their responsibilities are to ensure the safety of a team of Israeli aerospace engineers.

Tonight, he escorts this group from the residential compound on the US Naval Base to a private hangar at the Sakhir Air Base. A chartered private Boeing Business Jet aircraft transports the engineers to Larneca, Cyprus. No passports are stamped and no x-ray security checks are performed. These passengers do not exist and the flight appears to be a normal private chartered flight but these activities have not escaped the attention of some other interested parties in the region. These engineers have been working with United States military contractors to help build a new Theater Missile Defense System. This missile defense system is designed to help defend the United States Naval Support Activity base in Bahrain and the oil fields off shore in the Persian Gulf. The contractor would like the other Persian Gulf states to buy this system for their protection from an aerial attack from their enemies in the region. Its development has been watched closely by the Iranian Ministry of Intelligence and Security.

In Larneca, a special El Al Airlines flight will arrive at the same time to bring another group of engineers. Then it will take this group back to Tel Aviv to their families and friends.

Captain Pierce asks First Officer Wilson to request engine start-up and taxi clearance.

Chris calls Ground Control and says, "Sakhir Ground, A6-FIN, request engine start-up and taxi clearance."

"A6-FIN, start-up approved, taxi to the holding point K2 for Runway 17, via Kilo taxiway, Contact Tower at position K2," instructs the Ground Controller.

First Officer Wilson reads back the taxi clearance and performs the Before Engine Start-Up Checklist as Captain Pierce starts the Boeing's General Electric CFM-56 turbofan engines.

The cabin attendant, Carol Thurman, comes to the flight deck and tells the Captain that the cabin is ready for take-off. Captain Pierce gives her the OK signal.

Captain Pierce begins the short taxi to position K2. After completing the Taxi Checklist, Chris informs the Tower Controller that they are fully ready for takeoff.

The Tower Controller replies, "A6-FIN, cleared for takeoff, wind 130 at 10".

Captain Pierce advances the throttles and engages the autothrottles and announces, "My flight controls".

The BBJ lifts off and climbs to three thousand feet. The Tower Controller says, "A6-FIN, contact Bahrain Radar: 124.4."

First Officer Wilson checks in with Bahrain Radar, "A6-FIN, maintaining altitude three thousand." The Bahrain Radar Controller issues a clearance to climb to Flight Level 150 and to contact Bahrain Control 120.9.

Outside the perimeter fence of the Bahrain military airbase on the street, a non-descript Toyota Hilux pickup truck starts its engine and leaves. Its occupant dials a local mobile telephone number to report the departure of the Boeing Business Jet.

"The airplane has departed" is the only message that is transmitted. The receiver of this message is located in an apartment in downtown Manama. He sends the same message to an untraceable internet mailbox. The person that receives this message is located in Tehran, Iran. He relays the message to his contacts in Larneca, Cyprus and to his superiors in the Iranian Ministry of Intelligence and Security (MOIS).

The MOIS, Russians, North Koreans and the Chinese have been monitoring the development of the new Arrows 3 (Theater Missile Defense System). The Arrows 3 was developed from the Arrows 2 by the Israeli Aircraft Industries with the support of the American government.

The Arrows 3 missile system is the latest development of a mobile tactical fire unit. It was developed to counter the threat of the ballistic missile development by "rogue states". It will be used to shoot down medium and intermediate range ballistic missiles. It uses a direct fragmentation warhead approach that intercepts exo-atmospheric and endo-atmospheric threats. This new upper tier weapon will be complemented with the Patriot (PAC-3) Missile System that is already in place at the US Naval Base in Bahrain. Most of the Persian Gulf States have already bought and deployed the Patriot. They need an upper tier missile system for a "layered defensive shield".

Through its network of informants and agents in Bahrain and in Larneca, the Iranians have documented every flight that has transported the Israeli engineers from Bahrain and Larneca, Cyprus. Tensions in the area have risen due to the rhetoric that has come from the Israelis, the Americans and from certain Arab states in the Persian Gulf about the possibility of the Iranian development of nuclear weapons. Whether or not the possibility is valid or not, the perceived threat has got the region preparing for a confrontation of some sort. The Iranians have decided not to wait for an attack on their facilities.

1830Z: Larneca, Cyprus

The flight to Cyprus has progressed normally and lands in Larneca on time. It is directed to a remote parking stand where it is met by the local handler and Israeli security agents. The Boeing is unloaded, refueled, cleaned and a new group of engineers and their luggage is loaded. First Officer Wilson completes his exterior inspection and climbs back in his seat to prepare for the next leg back to Bahrain.

An hour and thirty minutes after landing, the flight crew receives a clearance for the reverse route from Larneca back to the Bahrain. Again, Captain Rabin verifies the route on the MAP display and checks in with his superiors in Tel Aviv.

It is half past midnight in Bahrain so the crew is starting to feel the effects of acute fatigue. The flight crews at the charter company do not like to fly these all night flights but they are a steady source of revenue.

The powerful General Electric engines are started and Captain Pierce taxis the aircraft to the holding position for take-off on Runway 21, while Chris performs the checklists. The flight back to Bahrain should not take quite as long due to favorable upper level winds across Saudi Arabia. They should be touching down at Sakhir Air Base at approximately 0020Z.

After completing all the checklists, Chris advises the Larneca Control Tower, "Tower, A6-FIN, is ready for departure." They are ready to get going.

The Tower Controller responds, "A6-FIN, cleared for take-off, wind 250 at 10."

All this activity was observed by a couple of Iranian intelligence agents (MOIS) sitting in a vehicle outside of the airport's boundary fence. As they depart the airport, one of the men uses his cell phone to call his contact in Larneca to report the departure of the BBJ and the tail number on the aircraft. This information is relayed to Tehran.

After lifting off Runway 21, the BBJ is cleared to the route and told to contact Nicosia Radar, frequency: 130.0. Since First Officer Wilson is the flying pilot on this leg, Captain Pierce calls Nicosia Radar and checks in.

Nicosia Radar clears the BBJ to climb to its flight plan cruising altitude of thirty-five thousand feet and to contact Nicosia Control. Everything is going as planned for the crew of the BBJ and also for the two agents that were observing the exchange of passengers for the chartered jet.

2045Z: Cairo, Egypt

About forty-five minutes after departing Larneca, the Boeing Business Jet crosses over Cairo and turns toward the Red Sea and the Saudi Arabian airspace. "I never get tired of looking at the pyramids when we come through here. It is really clear tonight and Cairo is very spectacular," comments Captain Pierce.

Everything appears to be going as planned and on schedule. The Iranians are depending on this.

2100Z: Tehran, Iran

At Tehran's Imam Khomeini International Airport, an IranAir Cargo jet is being dispatched on its weekly scheduled cargo flight. IranAir Cargo Flight 144, an Airbus A300B4F, will depart Imam Khomeini International at approximately 2120Z. It is a scheduled cargo flight to Riyadh, Saudi Arabia.

2100Z: Vahdati Air Base: Iran

At Vahdati Air Base at Dezful in western Iran, the Supreme Leader of Iran has issued orders to the Commander of the Imperial Iranian Air Force for preparations to be made for what he believes will make the world take notice. Two vintage Imperial Iranian Air Force F-14A fighter jets are being armed, fueled and their flight crews have been briefed. Their flight will depart in about in about fifty minutes for a mission that will change the world.

It is a high stakes gamble but one that the Supreme National Security Council (SNSC) and the Commander of the elite Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) have determined must be made to preserve their nuclear development program and their authority in the Islamic communities in the Middle East. The President of Iran has been advised of their intentions but has no authority to dispute the plans of the IRGC. He is an elected official that was an authorized and approved presidential candidate of the Velayt-e-Faqih (Supreme Religious Leader/Guardian).

The IRGC, through the authority of the Faqih, has a tight control over the development and deployment of the ballistic missiles that threatens to hold the Israelis and the rest of the Middle East hostage. The IRGC's influence extends to the political, military and commercial areas of the Iranian society. The Islamic Republic of Iran does not intend to wait for the Israelis and Americans to follow through with their threat to attack the nuclear development plants at Qom, Natanz, Darkhovin, Arak and Isfahan. They feel that they must protect themselves from a possible attack.

2110Z: Western Saudi Arabia

"Jeddah Control, A6-FIN, checking in position KITOT, Flight Level 350, Squawk 3122," reports Captain Pierce.

"A6-FIN, Jeddah Control, radar identified, maintain Flight Level 350, say estimate for RASMO," says the Saudi Controller.

"A6-FIN, estimating RASMO, 2230Z", replies Captain Pierce.

"A6-FIN, report RASMO, to Riyadh Control, 125.9, Ma'asalama," instructs Jeddah Control.

"Roger, 125.9 at RASMO," Captain Pierce reads back to the Saudi Controller.

"I guess he can go back to sleep, now," comments Pierce. "I am getting pretty tired myself. I couldn't take a nap this afternoon due to all the paperwork that I had to fill out from our trip last week. These flights really mess up my sleeping patterns. Did you get a nap this afternoon?"

"No, I wasn't able to sleep either. I'm looking forward to getting back to my apartment in the morning. At least they can't touch us for twelve hours", says Chris. "Are you ready for some coffee?"

"Yes, I'll see if Carol will fix us a double espresso," offers Pierce. He rings the call button for the Cabin Attendant.

When Carol gets a moment, she checks in with the pilots. "How's it going? Are you guys ready for some coffee and snacks? I think that everyone is resting comfortably and will probably be asleep soon."

Captain Pierce replies, "If you have time, could you make us a double espresso? I would like one sugar and no milk in mine."

Chris says, "Please make mine with two sweeteners and milk. Thank you!"

Carol walks back to the galley and prepares their coffee. All twenty-four VIP seats are filled in the BBJ, and most of the passengers are asleep except for Yosef. He has to stay alert on these flights, no matter how painful that it can be at this time of night. His training in the Israeli Army Special Forces has prepared him for the hardships and inconveniences that come his way. His loyalty to his God and country is the motivating force that helps keep him focused. He knows that he is in enemy territory and must maintain vigilance at all costs.

2150Z: Vahdati Air Base, Iran

Approximately thirty minutes after the IranAir Cargo aircraft leaves Tehran, the two Imperial Iranian Air Force F-14s takeoff from Vahdati Air Base for a routine patrol mission. A pre-arranged transponder code has been given to the flight of the F-14s but only one aircraft will be using it tonight. They are flying in a very tight formation that they have been practicing for months.

To the US Air Force Air Traffic Controllers monitoring this activity from Bagdad Control; these two aircraft appear as one target on the radar screen. This flight appears to be a normal and expected routine patrol flight that the Iranians have performed each night at about the same time for the past 6 months.

As the big Airbus freighter climbs to its cruising altitude of thirty-four thousand feet, the two F-14s are being vectored by the Imperial Iranian Air Force Air Traffic Controller at Dezful for a "practice" intercept course to the Airbus. Unknown to the crew of the IranAir Cargo aircraft, the pair of F-14s are approaching the Airbus from behind and under the giant aircraft.

2210Z: Western Iran

The two Iranian Air Force F-14 pilots are speaking to each other on their discreet radio frequencies. At a practiced coordinated moment, the first jet closes into position on the Airbus and switches off his transponder and navigation lights. The second F-14 switches on his transponder, dives down and away from the Airbus. This F-14 continues the "patrol" and calls the Iranian Air Force Controllers for clearance back to the Imperial Iranian Air Base at Dezful.

In approximately ten minutes, the IranAir Cargo Airbus A300 freighter will cross into Kuwaiti airspace. At this time of night, all is quiet and the Kuwaiti Air Traffic Controller's screen scale is increased to cover a larger area, so the radar target that is displayed shows only one aircraft entering from the Iranian airspace.

2220Z: Kuwait

"Kuwait Control, IranAir 144, Position MESVI at 2220, estimating SIDAD at 2230, Flight Level 340, Squawk 1432," says the IranAir Cargo pilot.

"Roger, IranAir 144, radar identified, cleared into Kuwait airspace, maintain Flight Level 340, cleared direct KFR, contact Riyadh, 125.9 at KFR, Ma'asalama", the Kuwaiti Controller replies.

"Direct KFR, Maintain Flight Level 340, Riyadh on 125.9, Ma'asalama," says the IranAir Cargo pilot.

2230Z: Saudi Arabia

"Riyadh Control, A6-FIN, check position RASMO, Flight Level 350," announces Captain Pierce.

"Roger, A6-FIN, Riyadh, descend to Flight Level 230 initially, contact Bahrain at ASPAN, 132.5", replies the tired Saudi Air Traffic Controller.

"Roger, descend to Flight Level 230, Bahrain on 132.5 at ASPAN, A6-FIN," Captain Pierce reads back.

First Officer Wilson begins a descent to Flight Level 230.

"Well, once we turn the corner at ASPAN, I always feel that we are on the home stretch back to Sakhir," comments Captain Pierce.

"I do too, and I am looking forward to getting back to Dubai after we drop these passengers," says Chris.

The two Iranian F-14A pilots are listening to the Boeing BBJ check in with Riyadh Control on the same frequency that was given to the IranAir Cargo Airbus.

"That is the Boeing jet. We should arrive at MUSKO intersection at the same time, Enshallah! When we get within ten nautical miles of the intersection, we will turn on our search radar. Since it is so late, we should not have a problem finding the Boeing," says the F-14 pilot to his Radar Intercept Officer.

2240Z: Saudi Arabia

"Riyadh Control, IranAir 144, Position KFR, Flight Level 340, estimating ALSAT 2255, Squawk 1432," says the IranAir Cargo pilot.

"IranAir 144, Riyadh Control, radar identified, Report ALSAT, Descend to Flight Level 220 initially," instructs Riyadh Control.

"Roger, descend to Flight Level 220, Report ALSAT," replies the IranAir Cargo pilot.

The two pilots in the F-14 are also monitoring the transmissions of the IranAir Cargo aircraft above them and start to prepare for the next phase of their mission. They know that they have about ten minutes until they break off the formation with the Airbus and intercept the Boeing Business Jet. Then they will have about twenty minutes to "persuade" the BBJ into Iranian airspace.

Their plan is to close in on the rear of the BBJ and at the right moment, pull along the right side of the Boeing, using international intercept procedures and if necessary...force. If their plan goes well, they will be back in Iranian airspace before the American jets in Iraq can respond.
Chapter 2

On the tarmac at Omidiyeh Air Base near the Iraqi/Iranian border and the Northern Persian Gulf, the elite Islamic Revolutionary Guardian Corps (IRGC) also known as the Pasdaran is making preparations to receive some special "guests" and transport them to the Badr Air Base at Isfahan, Iran.

The Islamic Republic of Iran Army (Artesh) units from the 58th Infantry Division have been deployed to Omidiyeh and Badr Air Bases to assist the IRGC. The 58th Infantry Division has been placed on High Alert but has not been told why. They think that it is another routine drill that has been practiced for the last two years.

The Israelis have been threatening to attack the nuclear facilities inside of Iran and the Iranian military has been preparing for the inevitable confrontation. The Air Defense Forces anti-aircraft units at the Omidiyeh Air Base are comprised of the Mersad anti-aircraft system, a reverse engineered derivative of the Raytheon MIM-23: Hawk Tactical Surface to Air Missiles and the Chinese supplied HQ-2 "Sayyad"/CSA 1 Guideline medium range SAMs. They are being readied in case of anyone tries to interfere during the transfer of passengers.

At the same time, further north at the Vahdati Air Base at Dezful, the 14st Tactical Fighter Squadron of F-5E fighters are preparing to launch. They will be joining the 22nd Tactical Fighter Squadron of F-7M "Airguard" from Omidiyeh Air Base to provide air cover for the Boeing BBJ and the Iranian F-14 interceptor. The Iranians are betting that the surprise of the intercept will catch the Americans off guard. Since it appears to be an UAE aircraft, the delay in responding will give the Iranians time to transfer the hostages to a waiting C-130 aircraft and to escape further inland.

2250Z: MUSKO Intersection

"Hey, what the heck is going on? Chris, there's an aircraft outside your window. He just turned on his landing lights. It's an F-14! What's a US Navy F-14 doing in Saudi airspace? Riyadh Control..."

Just about that time, a Middle Eastern voice comes over the number two radio that the crew has tuned to the emergency guard frequency.

"Boeing Business Jet, A6-FIN, do not call Riyadh, you are to follow me or I will shoot you down. If you understand, rock your wings," orders the Radar Intercept Officer in the Iranian F-14 Tomcat.

Captain Pierce and Chris are so stunned that they can hardly speak. Just then, Yosef rushes to the cockpit after seeing the lights of the F-14.

"What is happening, Captain," Yosef asks?

Just as Yosef reaches for his backpack, the Iranian F-14A fires a fuselage of 20 mm rotary cannon rounds across the flight path of the BBJ. This frightens the BBJ pilots and passengers.

"Captain, you are to follow me. Now, turn left to heading 030 and descend to altitude 10,000 feet, immediately," orders the Iranian pilot.

Captain Pierce tells Chris, "I have the flight controls."

He turns the Boeing BBJ to a new heading of 030 and begins descending to ten thousand feet.

Yosef is watching the Iranian F-14 intently. He grabs his satellite phone from his backpack and dials the memorized numbers for contacting to his superiors in Tel Aviv.

"Control, we have been intercepted by an unidentified F-14A and are departing the planned route to the northeast. I am not sure of our last position."

He asks Captain Pierce, "What was our last position?"

Captain Pierce replies, "Last position, MUSKO intersection, at 2250Z. We are turning to heading 030 degrees and descending to ten thousand feet."

He is concentrating on complying with the commands of the Iranians, so that his aircraft doesn't get shot down. Captain Pierce knows that the Iranian pilots are monitoring Riyadh Control, so he does not put the international code for hijacking in his transponder. The air traffic controllers in Riyadh may ask him about it and make the Iranian pilots mad.

Yosef reports this information to Control in Tel Aviv. The Israeli Air Force Commanders of Ramon and Hatzerim Airbases are informed of this development. Two squadrons of F-16i Sufa (Storm) and F-15i (Ra'am) fighter jets are placed on Hot Alert, ready to scramble and launch, but to where?

In the meantime, the rest of the passengers have awakened after hearing the 20 mm cannon fire and starting to get nervous. Carol is doing her best to calm them down but everyone has an ominous feeling that something is terribly wrong.

"A6-FIN, Riyadh Control, I show you turning off course and descending. Are you in need of assistance," inquires Riyadh Control.

Silence from the flight crew of the BBJ.

"A6-FIN; Riyadh Control; how do you hear." The excited Saudi Air Traffic controller is fully alert now with his supervisor looking over his shoulder trying to understand what has just happened.

"A6-FIN, you will not respond, continue to descend on this heading. If you obey, nothing will happen to you. Resist and everyone on board will die. Now tune your radio to frequency 123.47," instructs the Iranian pilot.

Captain Pierce tunes the number one radio to frequency 123.47

"A6-FIN, how do you hear?" asks the Iranian pilot.

Chris responds with, "Loud and clear."

"That's good, continue your descent to six thousand feet and expedite immediately!"

Captain Pierce does not acknowledge. "I am not sure what this joker has in mind but I believe that he will fire on us; so we had better do as he says. Read the descent checklist, Chris."

Chris reads and performs the descent checklist. Captain Pierce calls Carol to the cockpit and tells her to prepare the cabin for landing.

So far, the plan is going as it was anticipated. The IRGC has surprised the Israelis and the Americans. The Iranian pilots have checked in with the Control Tower at Omidiyeh Air Base in the Khuzestan Province. The base switches to High Alert, now, and all personnel are being readied for the arrival of the Boeing Business Jet and the Israeli engineers. The anti-aircraft units have their detection/acquisition radar turned off for now. The Air Base radar controllers are keeping a watch over activity on the other side of the Iranian border. All appears normal. The usual number of American F-15Es is patrolling the skies over Eastern Iraq tonight as they do each night.

In Tel Aviv, the Prime Minister, Ben Yadin, has been awakened from his sleep. The Prime Minister is being briefed by his aid as he gets dressed. After he hears the news, the Prime Minister says, "I need to speak with the President of the United States! Tell the Defense Minister to get his jets airborne, immediately. I not sure of what is happening but we need to be prepared if this is more than a hijacking."

At the White House in Washington, President John Fenner is sitting down to dinner with his wife when he is called away to the telephone.

"Mr. President, a hijacking has taken place over Saudi Arabia. It is the Israeli engineers that are working in the Kingdom of Bahrain. The flight departed Larneca as scheduled and was intercepted in Saudi airspace and we suspect that it is an Iranian F-14," explains the Prime Minister Yadin.

"How in the world did an Iranian F-14 get into the Saudi airspace," says President Fenner? "Are you sure it is an Iranian aircraft?" He motions to his Chief of Staff to get the Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff to contact the Central Command in Iraq.

"Yes, we have an IDF officer on board that recognized the Iranian flag on the tail. He believes that they are being forced into Iranian airspace. We are not sure of their destination but the aircraft has turned off course on a north eastern heading and are descending rapidly," explains the Israeli Prime Minister.

"Mr. Prime Minister, please do not do anything rash. We do not want to make this worst than it is. Let me check with my commanders in Iraq and with the Saudis to get more information. Please do not respond before we know the facts," requests President Fenner. "I will call you back as soon as I receive some more information."

The President hangs up and his aid tells him that the Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, United States Air Force Five Star General Luther Franklin is on the other phone line.

"Luther, what has just happened in Saudi Arabia," asks the President.

"Mr. President, we are not sure and the Saudi Air Traffic Controllers are not sure what has transpired either except that our chartered Boeing Business Jet was last seen descending rapidly on a northeastern heading. It appeared to have another aircraft flying in formation with it," replies General Franklin. "Our Central Command in Baghdad is checking with their air traffic controllers to see if they can pinpoint the destination before it dropped off their radar screen."

"Did your air traffic controllers see the Iranian fighter jet leave their airspace, cross over Kuwait and enter the Saudi Arabian airspace? I am very perplexed how this could occur. I need to know where the Iranians are taking this aircraft. The Israelis are ready to launch their jets. Have Central Command get their aircraft ready, before the Israelis start a war. Call the other Joint Chiefs and have them put their commands on alert status. I need to know what is going on so we will know how the United States should respond," exclaims the President.
Chapter 3

2310Z: Southern Iraq

"Python 36; Baghdad Control; Proceed South to Tallil/Ali Air Base TMA," issues the US Air Force Air Traffic Controller. "Python 27 will join you; contact Baghdad Control on UHF 239."

Python 36 is an US Air Force F15E Strike Eagle on patrol duty along the Iraqi/Iranian border.

"Baghdad Control, Python 36 on UHF 239; proceeding to Tallil TMA at Flight Level 300," says Captain Westbrook.

"Baghdad Control, copies Python 36 on UHF 239," replies the USAF Controller.

"Python 36; military activity has been observed inside Iran. Multiple targets have launched off of Omidiyeh and Dezful's Vahdati Air Bases," relays Baghdad Control.

The US Air Force Controller is not sure what is going on inside Iran but this is definitely unusual activity.

"This is when we really need the E-3C AWACS aircraft that has been pulled back to Ramstein Air Force Base in Germany," the Controller says to no one in particular.

At Joint Base Balad, north of Baghdad, preparations are being made to launch a KC-135 tanker to refuel the fighters that are already flying. Another squadron of the F15E Strike Eagle is placed on Hot Alert. The squadron is ready to launch just in case there is more to this hijacking of a private jet. No one at the air traffic control center knows the mission of this business jet and certainly not the reason that the Iranians would be interested in it tonight.

Central Command in Baghdad knows what the private jet's mission is and the importance of the personnel onboard. A United States government and the military contractor arranged the sale of the Israeli missile defense system. The United States government sold the idea to use the Israelis engineers to develop it in Bahrain.

The Persian Gulf countries have been listening to the rhetoric coming out of Iran and have decided that they must protect their interests in the region. But it has become a dilemma now. The US Air Force cannot go after the BBJ in Iranian airspace and cause an international incident that could possibly trigger a worldwide negative response especially among the Middle East Muslim states. The hardest part will be to keep the Israelis from reacting too swiftly.

Central Command orders Baghdad's Air Traffic Control to contact the Kuwaiti Air Traffic Control Center and find out what they can from them. Baghdad Control could not tell where the BBJ went after it had descended below three thousand feet.

Kuwaiti Air Traffic Control watched the BBJ and its escort entering Iranian airspace before it went off the radar screen. It was joined by multiple aircraft (probably fighter jets) from the bases on the southwestern edge of the Iran/Iraq border. It appears that the BBJ is headed to one of the airports near the Khūzestān Province area.
Chapter 4

2320Z: Omidiyeh Air Base: Iran

"A6-FIN, the frequency for the ILS Approach to Runway 30L is 109.7, land your aircraft and follow the vehicle that will direct you to parking," commands the F-14 pilot.

Captain Pierce does not acknowledge but continues the approach and landing. After landing, the jet transport turns right to exit the runway and is met by a truck with a "Follow Me" sign on the back. Several large military trucks are following the BBJ to its parking stand on a remote parking area on the east side of the base. The F-14 and the other Iranian fighter jets stay airborne just in case Captain Pierce decides not to comply with instructions or the American fighter jets in Iraq make an attempt to interfere.

As Captain Pierce brings the Boeing BBJ to a stop, Yosef reaches into his backpack for a hidden Mini Uzi that he brought with him on this flight. A couple of the engineers pull their weapons out of their backpacks, also.

Captain Pierce orders, "Don't be fools, look out the windows, we are surrounded and your weapons are would be useless. You are going to get us all killed. Put them away, better yet; hide them in the back of the aircraft. Our only chance of survival is to comply with their wishes, otherwise we all die!"

As they were speaking about one hundred elite Pasdaran soldiers have surrounded the aircraft with their weapons poised and ready to open fire. An air stair is wheeled up to the forward door and an officer bangs his hand on the door. He demands that the crew open the door and exit the aircraft. Captain Pierce opens the door and all the weapons are pointed at him.

The IRGC officer in charge says to Captain Pierce, "Welcome to Iran, you are being detained for violating Iranian airspace. Please have your passengers deplane the aircraft."

Before he can utter a protest, Pierce is grabbed and pulled out of the door of the airplane.

"You will comply with all my instructions or you will be shot! Do you understand? Now tell your crew to deplane all twenty-four passengers, immediately!"

Captain Pierce shouts back at the aircraft's doorway, "Chris, Carol; get all the passengers off the aircraft."

"Now that is better," says the IRGC officer. He motions for the trucks to approach the aircraft and load the passengers. "Search them for weapons, passports and other IDs," he orders his men.

As each passenger deplanes and walks down the air stair; he is thrown to the tarmac, searched and his hands are tied behind their back. The engineer's mouths are covered by tape and then they are led to one of the waiting trucks. After each Israeli is loaded onto the waiting trucks, the IRGC officer and three soldiers enter the aircraft to search for anything that the Israelis have left behind. They find the bags with the weapons and satellite telephones. They confiscate these bags. The aircraft's baggage compartments are opened and the Israelis' baggage is loaded onto another waiting truck. The three trucks leave immediately and drive to an adjacent parking area where a waiting C-130 is parked with its engines running. This aircraft is loaded quickly and taxis to the end of runway 30R for departure. The IRGC officer in charge waits until the C-130 is airborne.

Then the Iranian officer turns to Captain Pierce and says, "You can now board your aircraft and depart Iranian airspace. We have no quarrel with Bahrain. Leave, now!"

Captain Pierce tells Chris and Carol to prepare for departure.

"This should be interesting," comments Chris. "We have no flight plan and no clearance. We are just going to pop up in Kuwaiti airspace and hope that we do not get shot down before we can explain what happened."

Captain Pierce looks at him and says, "Would you rather stay here? I feel terrible about what just happened to the Israelis. God only knows where they are being taken and what will happen to them. Let's just get airborne and deal with what comes."
Chapter 5

After a forty-five minute flight, the Iranian Air Force C-130 makes its approach and landing at Hesa Air Base near the city of Isfahan in central Iran. Two old Chinook C-47 helicopters and two platoons of IRGC soldiers are waiting as the military transport taxis onto the ramp. The Israeli prisoners have no idea where they are and what their fate will be.

This situation is very familiar to them. Most of them are former Israeli Defense Force veterans and they have always been expected to endure whatever extreme situation has been forced upon them. Yosef believes that he knows what is going on. He knows that the Iranians will do anything to prevent their nuclear facilities from being attacked. He knows that he and his fellow Israelis have just became human shields for the nuclear facilities at Natanz and possibly the Fordo facility at Qom.

Yosef also knows that this will not prevent the Israelis from attacking these nuclear facilities. The soldiers of Israeli Defense Force have always been willing to sacrifice their lives for the perpetuation of their homeland.

The Iranians have used this strategy before. It did not work for them when they held the American Embassy hostages after the Islamic Revolution. The world frowns on kidnapping no matter what the reason and will not condone this attempt to protect their aggressive plans to develop nuclear weapons.

But the Iranians see it differently. They are trying to buy time till all their centrifuges are completed and enough uranium has been enriched to weapons grade. Then the Americans and Israelis will not risk an attack that could send plumes of the contaminated dust into the atmosphere. This is the gamble that the Iranians hope to win.

As the helicopters are loaded, Yosef is trying to dispel thoughts about escaping. He is trained to escape but he knows that the most important thing is to focus on gathering intelligence about the Natanz area and what resources the Iranians possess. If he is able to get out of this situation, he will be able to provide some very valuable information to his superiors. Escaping is not an option that he can think about at this time. His duty is to protect the lives of the engineers.
Chapter 6

Day 2: 0300Z: Dubai, UAE

As the Boeing Business Jet touches down at the Dubai International Airport and taxis to the General Aviation ramp; the four UAE Air Force F-16E Block 60 "Desert Falcons" break off and depart to the Emirates Air Force airbase in Al Dhafra.

The UAE fighters have escorted the Boeing Business Jet since it arrived in Kuwaiti airspace. They were placed on High Alert status as soon as the Union Defense Force found out about the hijacking. These jets and other UAE F-16E and Mirage 2000-9 fighter jets have been patrolling the airspace from Bahrain to the Strait of Hormuz at the mouth of the Persian Gulf. Central Command in Baghdad called the Chief of Staff of the Union Defense Force in Abu Dhabi to tell him about the hijacking of the BBJ.

The crew is met by the United States Ambassador to the UAE, the Chief of Staff of the Union Defense Force, United States Air Force General Benson and representatives of the charter company. They are accompanied by a platoon of very well equipped UAE Army soldiers. The officials are anxious to question the flight crew about their experience. The company representative directs the crew to follow them into the company's fixed base operations conference room.

"Captain Pierce, where did you land in Iran? What happened to the Israelis? Why did the Iranians let you go?" The questions were coming too fast for Captain Pierce. The crew is feeling the effects of stress from the ordeal and fatigue from being awake for over 24 hours. They are offered a cup of coffee and a tray of Arabic sweets.

The officials needed answers, now, no matter how tired the crew is. They need to know what happened before the Israelis take the matter into their own hands. Captain Pierce, Chris and Carol are separated from each other and questioned individually to see if their stories' match. Washington and the UAE were trying to reconstruct the events that occurred over the Saudi Arabian desert.

"We were in Saudi airspace, talking to Riyadh Control when an Iranian F-14 fighter intercepted us and forced us into Iran. We landed at a military air field about ten minutes inside of Iranian airspace. We were taken to a remote area of the airport where we could not identify any airport signs. We were held there until the Israelis were loaded onto a C-130 transport and then we were ordered to leave. The control tower did not speak to us at all. We were given instructions by the Iranian aircraft that intercepted us. We were then told by an Iranian military officer to leave," Captain Pierce explains. "The Iranian officer knew that we had twenty-four passengers on board."

The US Ambassador to the UAE walks into the room where Chris is and asks, "Where were the Israelis taken?"

"I don't know," replies Chris. "The soldiers spoke only to the Captain. We did not even know where we were or how to program the FMS (flight management computer). We just took off as fast as we could and flew south towards Bahrain. We called the Kuwaiti air traffic controllers once we were airborne. We just hoped that the Iranians would not change their minds."

The US Ambassador steps out of the room to make a very important phone call. "Mr. President, the flight crew does not know where they landed or where the Iranians took the Israelis. The Israelis were loaded onto a waiting Iranian C-130 and departed before the company's flight crew and their aircraft were released."

"I understand and will talk to the Israeli Prime Minister. I hope that I can convince him to wait till we hear from the Iranians. Thank you for your help," says President Fenner and then hangs up the phone.

President Fenner says to the Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, "Luther, order your carrier battle group back to the Gulf of Oman and speak to the UAE Military Chief of Staff. Also, speak with the Saudi Arabian Military Chief of Staff. We are going to need the UAE Military's help and the Saudis' help to keep this situation from escalating into a war."

The President turns to the Secretary of State, Phillip Turner, and asks him to stay behind as the others leave the Oval Office. "Phil, we need to know what the Iranians are going to do with these hostages. What is your guess?"

The Secretary of State looks at the President and says, "Mr. President, I believe that the Iranians are using these hostages as human shields to protect their nuclear facilities. They are getting very close to being able to enrich their uranium to weapons grade and do not want the United States and Israel to destroy the work that they have accomplished. They have acquired the new IR-4 and IR-2M centrifuges that will allow them to process the highly enriched uranium (HEU) faster to the 90% grade required for nuclear weapons. If they get enough material enriched, the Iranians know that we cannot destroy their facilities without creating a nuclear disaster. We have got to get the Israelis out of there before they can reach that point and then the world would not condemn us or the Israelis for destroying their nuclear facilities."

President Fenner turns to his Chief of Staff and says," Robert, call all of the Cabinet members, immediately, and schedule a meeting for tomorrow morning at 11:00. Thank you, Phil; I will see you at the meeting. We need a plan as soon as possible to rescue these Israeli engineers and destroy those facilities."

As the Secretary of State and his Chief of Staff leave the Oval Office, President Fenner picks up the phone to call the Prime Minister of Israel."Mr. Prime Minister, I just spoke to our Ambassador in the UAE. He has interviewed the flight crew of the Boeing jet that was hijacked. The crew believes that they landed at a military airfield in Iran but do not know the name of the base. They were ordered to leave after the Iranians took your men into custody. The Iranians loaded the engineers into a C-130 transport and departed that base. We do not know where they have taken them. I am asking that you wait with us to find out what the Iranians want. Please do not do anything that will jeopardize the lives of your men and possibly others. We just need to wait and find out where they are," emphasizes the President.

"I understand President Fenner, but you must understand the pressure that I am receiving from the people of Israel. They want action and want it now! I will do as you ask for a time but the Israeli military is ready to go get them. Please keep us informed," replies the Israeli Prime Minister.

"I will Mr. Prime Minister, I will," assures the President.

The Prime Minister hangs up the phone and turns to the Israeli Defense Minister Ehud Gadi and says, "Get your men ready for a rescue assault. You know where our men have been taken."

Mr. Efraim Amat, Director of HaMossad leModi'in ule Tafkidim Meyuchadim (Mossad) agrees, "They will probably be held at the nuclear facility at Natanz or possibly at the Fordo operation north of Qom. Most likely, the engineers are being held at Natanz since the enrichment operations at the Fordo facilities have been moved inside of the adjacent mountain. The Iranians believe that the Natanz operations are more vulnerable to our aerial attack. The Iranians will probably keep the engineers there."

"We will need plans and contingencies developed as soon as possible," orders Prime Minister Yadin.

Defense Minister Gadi replies, "Yes sir, I already have someone in mind. I will send our very best!"
Chapter 7

0330Z: Natanz: Iran

The Natanz nuclear enrichment facility is located in central Iran, thirty kilometers northwest of the city of Natanz in the Isfahan Province. It is an expansive area that covers approximately ten square kilometers. The Karkas mountain chain with elevations of three thousand, nine hundred meters forms a natural barrier to the southwest of Natanz. Satellite intelligence photographs indicate that the Iranians are starting to build roads and tunnels into the sides of these mountains to better protect their nuclear enrichment development from an aerial attack. The photos also note numerous anti-aircraft batteries that surround the fenced perimeter.

These photos show that the Iranian Air Defense Forces has moved their newly acquired Russian Almaz S-300PMU-1 (SA-15 Gargoyle) mobile batteries to an area between the Natanz and the Fordo/Qom nuclear facilities. These batteries are the latest mobile long range Surface to Air Missiles (SAM) that were purchased from the Russians in 2005 and finally delivered after much persuasion and secrecy. The biggest tactical advantage for these mobile platforms is that they will be hard to find and track. The other problem for an attacking force is that the Russians claim that the S-300 has the ability to destroy any aircraft flying at fifteen meters and above. This includes cruise missiles and UAVs.

Colonel Behnam Radan, of the IRGC Pasdaran, is in command of the security forces inside the perimeter of the nuclear enrichment facility at Natanz. He is in charge of the IRGC Pasdaran forces that defend the facility and internal security of the personnel that are working there. His detachment is part of the Isfahan Provincial Corps.

He is a hard man, a veteran of the ten years Iran-Iraq War. He has spent his entire life in the military. His father was an officer in the Shah's Imperial Army when Behnam was a young man. He entered military school at age six and performed brilliantly in his studies.

When the Islamic Revolution took place in 1979, Behnam was a young officer in the Iranian Army. He and his father were given a choice to join the IRGC or be shot for treason. His father refused. The bitterness of his lost has never left him but his love and duty to his country has helped him overcome his feelings. His father, a true patriot of the Shah's Iran, had taught Behnam about duty and honor.

During the Iran-Iraq War, Lieutenant Radan was sent to the front lines and fought valiantly against the invading Iraqis. Soldiers on either side did not know why they fought each other. Both of the governments of Iran and Iraq wanted the southern oil fields and terminals. The soldiers on both sides just obeyed the orders that came from their governments' leaders.

Saddam Hussein believed that Iraq should own the oil fields and the valuable waterways that gave access to the Persian Gulf. He wanted to take them from Iran and sacrificed over a million Iraqis trying to obtain them. He did not succeed and both sides lost many brave soldiers. Then he turned his attention to Kuwait and its valuable resources. He needed the Kuwaiti oil to pay for the war with Iran. That invasion did not work either.

During the Iran-Iraq war, Lieutenant Radan was wounded in the leg. He had to wait for three days before he received medical treatment. The agony that he felt lying in the cold damp trenches waiting to receive help turned him into a hard man. He subsequently lost his leg to infection and has walked with a prosthesis ever since. He was waiting at the helipad when the helicopters arrived.

After the helicopters shutdown their engines on the helipad, the Israeli engineers are taken off the aircraft and assembled before Colonel Radan. Their hands were still bound behind them and their mouths taped.

"Gentlemen, welcome to Natanz. My name is Colonel Radan. "You are being held here to prevent your government and the Americans from attacking this facility. You will be kept here only as long as is necessary. I will try to make your stay as comfortable as I can as long as you cooperate with me. If you try to escape, you will be shot. Do I make myself, clear?" No one responds. "The government of Iran has no quarrel with you personally. I trust that you will find your accommodations suitable. Your belongings will be returned to you after they have been searched."

Colonel Radan says to the Captain of the Guards, "take them to the holding room."

The Captain orders his soldiers to take the captives to the holding room inside the underground nuclear facility.

After the Israelis are taken away, the colonel thinks about the implications of the actions of the Supreme Leader and the Supreme National Security Council leadership. Colonel Radan has a sense of foreboding about this kidnapping of the Israelis. He is a soldier and Iran is not at war with the Israelis. But, he must follow his orders. He believes that someday, Iran will return to the beautiful country that it once was and he will not have to compromise the beliefs that his father instilled in him. He turns to the Captain and orders him to increase the patrols around the fenced perimeter of the compound. He knows that this action will probably result in some type of reaction from the Israelis and Americans. How is he going to respond?

The captives were led into the entrance of the tunnel. The tunnel leads to the two underground laboratories of the Iranian Atomic Energy Organization (IAEO). It is a wide entrance that can accommodate a large truck. It is designed with a 180 degree turn about half way down. This will prevent severe damage from a bomb or rocket attack. These two large underground structures house the gas centrifuges cascades. There is also a support building located between them. The hostages are led down the tunnel. They pass the first building that contains two thousand of the new IR-4 and IR-2M centrifuges that are processing the uranium hexafluoride (UF6) to the highly enriched (90%) weapons grade Uranium 235. The entire nuclear enrichment facility is buried approximately eight meters below the surface with three to five meters of reinforced concrete as the protection against bombardment. The prisoners and guards continue to the support building.

The Iranians have set up a steel reinforced storage room in the southwestern corner of the support building as the holding cell for the Israelis. There is only one door, a bathroom and shower area. The door is made from harden steel. Even the one ventilation/ air conditioning duct had been reinforced with steel bars. The room has been equipped with twenty-four beds and lockers. Close circuit cameras are set in the ceiling to watch the interaction among the Israelis. The chances of escape seem to have diminished when the engineers and Yosef entered their prison.

The guards move the prisoners into their new home. The guards cut the plastic ties from the engineers' hands and remove the tape from their mouths. Colonel Radan has arranged some food for the men to eat. Their arrival was planned and anticipated. These accommodations are similar to the military barracks that these men have all experienced when they served in the Israeli Defense Force. The men begin to claim the beds and eat their food.

Colonel Radan has his men search the hostages' baggage and removes the weapons, satellite telephones and passports. All of the passports are brought to Colonel Radan's office.

All this activity did not go unnoticed by a particular worker inside the Natanz facility compound. The IAEO is still constructing buildings on the compound's grounds and tunnels in the adjacent mountains. The agency has to use local laborers for most of that work. The PMOI (People's Mojahedin Organization of Iran sometimes referred to as MKO) has been watching the progress of the Natanz facility for years. It has infiltrated some of their cadre back into Iran to keep an eye on the developments there and at the Fordo nuclear facility near Qom.

The PMOI/MKO is part of a coalition of Iranian exiles that are dedicated to a democratic and secular government in Iran. Some of its members took refuge in Iraq during the Iran-Iraq war. Saddam Hussein welcomed the organization to Iraq. When the Americans invaded Iraq in 2003, they sequestered the PMOI/MKO at a facility called Camp Ashraf, northeast of Bagdad. They have been held there ever since and given a limited amount of protection from the American military.

The members still have close ties within Iran and many have returned to Iran to help the cause of the PMOI. They have reported the observations from their operatives within Iran to the Americans since 2003. Even though the American government has "officially" listed the PMOI/MKO as a terrorist organization, its information has helped form American policy towards the sanctions against the government of Iran.

Faisal has been working at the Natanz facility since 2005. Although an educated man, he is an Iranian construction laborer and a secret member of the PMOI. He infiltrated back into Iran to work at the nuclear facilities that were being developed.

He watches as the Israelis are being led through the tunnel's opening. He needs to report this unexpected development to his contacts in Tehran but will have to wait until he finishes his shift tonight. His contacts in Tehran have been supplying the CIA operatives in Iran with information about the nuclear development activities within the Islamic Republic of Iran.
Chapter 8

1000Z: Tel Aviv: Israel

"Colonel, the council is ready for your briefing," advises Ehud Gadi, the Israeli Defense Minister. Lt. Colonel Benjamin Raymond is a veteran commander in the Israeli Defense Force's Sayeret Maglan Unit of the Israeli Special Forces. This unit specializes in operating behind enemy lines. He has assembled his most experienced officers to give an overview of their plans to rescue the engineers.

Lt. Colonel Raymond is forty-five years old, tall, close cropped hair, tanned skin and a short beard. He stands five feet and ten inches tall and is physically fit. He was a paratrooper in the Israeli Defense Force for four years before joining the IDF Special Forces. He joined the IDF as a young officer right after college. He is dressed in the olive green IDF uniform with Ibis bird jump wings and red beret.

Lt. Colonel Raymond was a young Captain in the Sayeret Maglan during the first Gulf War in1991. His first HALO (high altitude low opening) parachute jump was over Iraqi territory to search for scud missile sites. He has done many HALO jumps since. He leads his unit from the front and inspires them to the high standards that he expects from himself. He also speaks fluent Farsi.

As the Prime Minister takes his seat at the head of the conference table, he is joined by Israeli Defense Minister: Gadi, the Director of the Mossad: Mr. Amat and General Daniel Abramson, Chief of Staff of the Israeli Defense Force. Colonel Raymond stands up to address the council.

"Mr. Prime Minister, we believe that our engineers are being held at the Natanz nuclear facility. We must act quickly before the Iranians move them to the other nuclear facilities. I would like to propose that we insert a Special Forces commando group into the compound and rescue our men. Once our men are rescued, the world will not condemn us for destroying the Iranian nuclear processing plants. But, we will need the help of the Americans," explains Colonel Raymond. His officers show maps and photographs of the Natanz facility that were obtained from the American and Israeli intelligence agencies.

"This proposed plan needs assets and personnel that only the Americans have and can provide from their bases inside Iraq and Turkey," explains Colonel Raymond. He continues with his briefing.

The Israeli plan to destroy the nuclear facilities in Iran will depend on the help from the Americans and their Persian Gulf allies in the region.

"Colonel, your plan is sound but I only want you to take six men with you and these men must be volunteers. This is a very dangerous mission that will require flexibility and improvisation. The less people on the ground, the less chance for confusion," orders General Abramson.

Prime Minister Yadin listens and at the end of the presentation, he commands the Defense Minister and General Abramson to make it happen as soon as possible. He turns to Colonel Raymond and his aides, nods and says, "Colonel, bring our men home."

1500Z: Washington, DC

On the other side of the Atlantic Ocean, President Fenner is listening to his national security advisors brief him about the status of the Israeli engineers. The Director of the Central Intelligence Agency has received reports from their contacts within the PMOI/MKO of the whereabouts of the engineers.

"Our agents have been working with the PMOI/MKO operatives in Iran. The PMOI workers at the Natanz nuclear facility have provided valuable intelligence about the progress of the construction that is taking place there. Their workers have observed about twenty-four bound men that were brought in by helicopter and taken inside the underground tunnel. They have not been seen since," explains the Director.

President Fenner turns to the Chairman of the Joint Chief of Staff, "General, has your staff developed any contingencies? We need to be ready when the Israelis decide to attack."

"Yes Sir, Admiral Mark Winston's elements of the Fifth Fleet are in the Indian Ocean conducting naval maneuvers. The Admiral is sending his Carrier Strike Group One under the command of Vice Admiral Nelson Pickett to the Gulf of Oman. He has been watching the Iranian Naval Fleet out in the Gulf of Oman. The Admiral will have the Carrier Strike Group stand by until he receives further orders. General Taylor has one E-3C AWACS aircraft stationed at Ramstein Air Force Base in Germany. He is sending it to Incirlik Air Base in Turkey. He has ordered Langley's 28th Fighter Squadron of F-22A Raptors to get ready to deploy to RAF Mildenhall. The squadron is awaiting further instructions. I would like to suggest that we send the YAL-1A, B747-400 Airborne Laser (ABL) weapon aircraft from Kirkland Air Force base to Bahrain in case the Iranians launch tactical ballistic missile attacks against Israel or any of the other Persian Gulf nations, as they have threatened. We already have one of our E-3C AWACS in the Sultanate of Oman. It has been tracking and monitoring the Iranian Navy since they entered the Gulf of Oman. The Iranians may try to attack Admiral Pickett's Carrier Group. The Iranians have the improved version of the "Ghader" anti-ship cruise missiles. The Iranian Navy has said many times that they will use the missiles and naval mines to close the Straits of Hormuz. In addition, General Williamson has alerted his Special Operations Command's Delta Force "B" Squadron to get ready to deploy in case we decide to conduct the rescue of the hostages," advises General Franklin.

"Good work, General. I agree with your suggestions and give you my full support to your plans. Also, have Admiral Rogers move the USS Carl Vinson from the South China Sea to the Indian Ocean. Just in case Admiral Winston needs more firepower. If the Israelis decide to attack, we will have to be ready to respond to keep the shipping lanes safe. If the Iranians decide to attack the tankers in the shipping lanes in the Persian Gulf, Admiral Winston will need an additional aircraft carrier. Contact the Chief of Staff of the Union Defense Force in the UAE and ask for their help. We will need the UAE Air Force to attack some of the Iranian Navy's bases and help defend the oil fields in the Gulf. Their Navy can help us with their minesweeping ships and submarine detection helicopters to keep the Straits of Hormuz open," says the President.

"The Israelis are asking for twelve more GBU-28 C/B Bunker Busters in addition to the ones that we have already delivered to them. I would advise that we give it to them and sell some more to the UAE. If this thing escalates, it would be better to have those weapons there and in position. I do not believe that anyone would object to the destruction of the Iranian facilities, now. I believe that we will have the full support of the Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC), now," advises the Secretary of State.

The President looks to the Secretary of State and says, "You are probably right, Philip. Let me think about that one. In the meantime, contact the Ambassador from the UAE and request an audience to discuss what we believe is going to happen. We will need his support and cooperation. We need to move quickly. I will see you in the Cabinet room at 11:00."

"Yes sir, I will arrange a meeting as soon as possible," replies Secretary of State Turner.

As the President walks out of the conference room, he turns to his Chief of Staff, "Robert, get me Prime Minister Yadin on the phone. I have to speak with him before I brief the Cabinet."

Back in the Oval Office, President Fenner is speaking to the Israeli Prime Minister, "Mr. Prime Minister, we have received information that your engineers are being held at the Natanz nuclear facility near Isfahan, Iran. Our intelligence agencies confirm that they are being held in the underground facility."

The Prime Minister has already received this information from the Mossad agents that are operating deep inside of Iran but he does not reveal this fact. Yet, he is grateful for the President's support.

"Mr. President, thank you for that information. We are prepared to rescue our men but require some assistance from you. I am sending Lt. Colonel Raymond from the Israeli Defense Force, Sayeret Maglan Unit, to brief you about our plans. He will be on a flight to Washington tonight," says the Prime Minister.

"Mr. Prime Minister, you will have my full support. I will have the Joint Chiefs of Staff General Franklin prepare for Colonel Raymond's briefing," assures the President.

"Thank you Mr. President," says the Prime Minister.

President Fenner turns to his Chief of Staff and says, "Robert call General Franklin. Ask him to arrange a meeting tomorrow morning for Lt. Colonel Raymond, of the IDF Special Operations Division. Tell him to have the other Joint Chiefs and Vice Admiral Henry Delker, commander of the Joint Special Operations Command, to attend the meeting. Ask him to give Colonel Raymond and his men their full cooperation and to keep me informed on what the Israelis have in mind."
Chapter 9

1500Z: Tehran: Iran

In Tehran, a meeting is being held at the Supreme National Security Council (SNSC). The Commander of the IRGC is reporting the events that have transpired in the last twenty-four hours.

The President of Iran gets up to speak, "members of the Supreme National Security Council, we have brought the Israelis and Americans to their knees again. Our plans to complete the uranium enrichment process can proceed without fear of intervention from the enemy. The Israeli engineers have been detained in the facility at Natanz. We will begin to disperse them to other facilities soon. But first we must let the world and our allies know that we will not be deterred by idle threats from the Zionist murderers. Once our allies see that they have nothing to fear from the Americans, they will not honor the sanctions that have been imposed on them and our development of nuclear weapons will progress much faster. Let us show the world that we will not be bullied by the West. I am planning a press conference and will display the Israeli prisoners at Natanz to the world."

Several members of the SNSC raise objections to parading the kidnapped engineers on television. They cite the last time that the American hostages were filmed in 1979 and the intelligence value that the Americans received by watching and observing the footage. It also inflamed the world's opinion of the Iranian Revolution that has been very hard to reverse. But these objections are put aside in favor of the political motives that the Islamic Republic of Iran wants to achieve.

"Contact Colonel Radan at Natanz and have him prepare the Israelis for the press conference," orders the President. The other dissenting members are overruled and have to comply.

1700Z: Natanz: Iran

At his office in the underground support building, Colonel Radan receives his orders with much trepidation. He is not keen to have the President of Iran showing off the prisoners and the facility where they are being held to the world press. It is a breach of security in his mind and believes that it would be detrimental to the defense of the compound. He knows that the Israelis or the Americans will attempt a rescue mission. But he has no power to dissuade the Commander of the IRGC from allowing this spectacle. As a military commander, Colonel Radan knows this is a very bad strategic decision. He has to keep his opinions to himself. He has to figure out how he is going to respond because he knows that the Israelis will stop at nothing to rescue their men and destroy this facility in the process.

After Colonel Radan relays his orders to the Captain of the Guards, he goes back to watching a recording of the video from the cameras inside the room that is holding the hostages. He is trying to determine the leaders of the engineers. He has observed that one individual seems to be in charge. He will continue to watch their interactions and discover who the other leaders are. He suspects that most of the engineers are former Israeli Defense Force. He knows that these men are well trained and disciplined. As a lifelong soldier, he has respect for these men.

Day 3: 0530Z: Natanz: Iran

At approximately 09:00 am, two helicopters approach the helipad at the Natanz nuclear facility. The President of Iran and his staff disembark from the Islamic Republic of Iran Air Force Panha Shabaviz 2061 and the members of press are in the Imperial Iranian Air Force CH-47 Chinook helicopter. The President is formally greeted by the ministers from the Iranian Atomic Energy Organization, the Director of Natanz, and the Commander of the IRGC at the entrance to the tunnel that leads to the underground concrete protected uranium processing plants. The Islamic Republic News Agency, CNN and other members of the international press corps are following his entourage. The President's arrival to the Natanz nuclear facility is broadcast on every major television network in the world. They proceed through the tunnel past the large and thick reinforced steel doors. The door's vulnerabilities are obvious. As the entourage makes its way through the hallway leading to the support building and laboratories, the President pauses occasionally to speak to the Director and the Press corp.

As he was ordered, Colonel Radan has the Israeli hostages brought out of their holding room to one of the gas centrifuge cascade halls in the southeastern laboratory buildings. The Iranian President tells the world about his plans to bring nuclear power to the Islamic Republic of Iran as he gives his speech to the press and the staff of the facility.

He exclaims, "The Islamic Republic of Iran will not be deterred by the threats of the Israelis and Americans. We are prepared to defend our nuclear research facilities against any threat. If we have to detain these Israelis to protect our work, we will! They will be released as soon as our work here has been completed."

The news cameras scan the weary hostages. They appear to be in good physical condition.

All the attention to the President's arrival has given Faisal an opportunity. He has been ordered to help in the preparations. He was able to observe the location of the holding room for the hostages in the underground support building. As all the attention is directed to the President and members of the press, he is busy making mental notes to pass to his PMOI/MKO contacts in Tehran. He knows that this information will be useful to the American CIA and profitable to him.

Meanwhile in Tel Aviv, the Israeli Prime Minister, Israeli Defense Minister, the Director of the Mossad and a few chosen members of the Knesset are watching this spectacle on CNN. The program is being recorded for analysts to watch it closely for clues. The captives seem to be well taken care of and do not appear to have been injured or mistreated.

In Washington, DC, it is 01:30, the President, the Secretary of State Turner, the Director of the National Security Administration, CIA Director, Secretary of Defense and the Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff are gathered in the Situation Room and watching the same broadcast.

"Mr. President, I believe that the Israelis are going to attempt a rescue. Do you remember the last time we attempted a rescue of the hostages in Tehran in 1980," states General Franklin.

"Yes, I do. The Israelis know what they are doing and frankly they don't have a choice. This is the only acceptable response that they have. Diplomacy is not an option for the Israelis. I have assured the Prime Minister that we will be ready to help them, whatever the cost," replies the President Fenner. "The Prime Minister said that the Israeli military officers will arrive in the morning and we will find out what they have planned and what they need. General Franklin, give them whatever they need."

"Yes Sir, Mr. President," replies General Franklin and nods his head.

President Fenner turns to The Directors of the NSA and CIA and says, "Gentlemen, what information do we have on this Colonel Radan and his military detachment at Natanz?"

"Sir, we will get a full briefing for you, immediately," replies the Director of the CIA.

President Fenner says to Secretary Turner as the others are leaving, "Phil, speak with the French Ambassador to the United Nations as soon as possible. I have already spoken with the United Nations Secretary General and the British Prime Minister. I have advised them that the United States condemns the kidnapping of the Israeli engineers by the Islamic Republic of Iran and will be bringing a resolution before the Security Council tomorrow. We need the support of the French and the other members of the Security Council. You can bet that the Chinese and Russians will vote against it. They have too much business at stake. Also, call the Pakistani Ambassador and ask him to speak with the Ambassador of Iran to the United Nations. We have to try for a diplomatic solution or at least appear to be pursuing one. We need to buy some time for the Israelis before the Iranians decide to move the hostages."
Chapter 10

0930Z: Natanz: Iran

Colonel Radan returned to his office in the underground support building. He is with the Captain of the Guards watching the video tapes of the activities of the hostages. His office and quarters are located near the entrance to this building. It has been a very stressful day as it always is whenever the President and the Press visit Natanz. He points to one particular individual that seems to be in charge of the Israeli group. He can tell by the demeanor of this person that he is or was in the military. He looks through the captured passports to find the name of this person. "Bring me this one that is called Yosef," he orders as he points to the video screen.

The Captain of the Guards leaves Colonel Radan and goes to the holding room to get Yosef. The Captain has his guards handcuff Yosef and leads him back to the Colonel's office.

Colonel Radan's office is strictly for business. No family pictures, no mementos or photographs with the President or other dignitaries. Colonel Radan does not have a family. He has never been married, his parents are dead and he has no siblings. His whole life has been dedicated to being a professional soldier. His only focus in life is to serve his country as his father did. He wonders how he is going to justify to himself for this criminal act. He keeps these thoughts to himself but he knows that he has to deal with this reality. The Captain knocks on the Colonel's door and listens for the order to enter. He and the prisoner enter the office.

"My name is Colonel Radan," he says. He does not offer a chair to his prisoner. "I hope that you and your men are being well taken care of. Is there anything that you require?"

Yosef just shakes his head. "Very well, let's get started" Radan pulls out Yosef's passport and makes a mental note. This is probably not this person's true name and passport but it will do to get things started.

Colonel Radan asks, "Yosef Rabin, what is your rank in the Israeli Defense Force?"

Yosef does not answer the question; he sees no reason to answer this question and give this information away. He is a hostage and not a prisoner of war.

"Ok, I understand your position and respect your silence. As a soldier, we are trained to deal with captivity but I can assure you that you and men will not be mistreated or harmed unless you try to escape. You are obviously a leader among these men so I picked you. I need you to maintain order and discipline among the other captured Israelis so that no harm will come to anyone. You will be taken care of and treated with respect. You and your comrades will be held here until such time as our work is completed. Do you have any questions?"

Yosef shakes his head as he is considering the credibility of this officer. He has known many military officers and his gut is telling him that this man is a professional soldier and not a kidnapper. He understands and respects a soldier's commitment to follow orders. The true test comes with how a soldier maintains his credibility and integrity while following his orders. This Iranian officer seems to possess this quality.

"Very well, Captain, take the prisoner back to the holding room," orders Colonel Radan.

Colonel Radan believes that this Israeli is a trained and disciplined Israeli soldier. Could Yosef be someone that he could trust to maintain order among the prisoners?

Colonel Radan believes that the Israelis or Americans will be coming to attempt a rescue of their men and will probably try to destroy the Natanz facilities in the process. If this occurs, he knows that a fight is inevitable. Colonel Radan will have to think about how he should respond. He has to prepare for the eventual battle. He decides to request more reinforcements from the headquarters of the IRGC.
Chapter 11

1300Z: Washington, DC

It is about 08:00am, local time. A Bermuda registered Gulfstream G550, touches down at Washington's Dulles Airport. It is given clearance to taxi to the Signature Flight Support ramp.

Two black specially modified and armored Chevrolet Suburban SUVs with four Secret Service agents are waiting on the ramp as the jet taxis in. Only two of the agents wait outside for the passengers of the Gulfstream.

Outside the gate of the Signature Fixed Base Operations are two more non-descript Chevrolet Suburban SUVs with Israeli Embassy security (Mossad) officials waiting to follow the two black Chevrolet Suburban trucks. Four passengers disembark from the G550 and proceed toward the vehicles. They are dressed in business suits to appear as business jet passengers. Formalities are waived as two passengers enter each of the vehicles and leave immediately. The ride to the Pentagon takes about thirty minutes and the passengers are led to the Office of the Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff.

US Army Chief of Staff General Henry Williamson, USAF Chief of Staff General Jonathan Taylor, US Navy Chief of Staff Admiral Benson Rogers and Vice Admiral Henry Delker are waiting for the Israeli Colonel and his team to arrive. In General Luther Franklin's office there is much speculation about the Israelis' rescue plan. The Joint Chiefs have been given their orders from the President. When Colonel Raymond arrives; he is introduced to the Joint Chiefs and immediately gets down to business. Everyone is anxious to hear what the Israelis plans are and how they can help.

"General Franklin, my mission is to brief you and your Joint Chiefs about our plans to rescue our engineers that we believe are being held at the Iranian nuclear facility at Natanz. I am also here to ask for your assistance to help us execute our rescue plans and destroy the nuclear facilities at Natanz, Qom, Isfahan, Darkhovin and Arak.

Colonel Raymond and his officers lay out the detailed plans for the rescue and ask if there are any questions. At the end of the briefing, Colonel Raymond advises that two of his officers will remain in Washington to help coordinate the preparations for the Israelis' plan. Colonel Raymond and his aid are taken back to the Dulles Airport and depart for Tel Aviv, immediately.

"Gentlemen, what we have here is an opportunity to eliminate the Iranian nuclear threat that holds the Middle East oil supplies and the nation of Israel hostage. I want contingency plans on my desk in twenty-four hours. You heard what the Colonel needs, now, let's get to work and eliminate this problem once and for all," orders General Franklin. "I will give the President an overview of what the Israelis will need."

General Williamson contacts Lt. General John Matthews, commander of the US Army Special Operations Command at Fort Bragg, North Carolina. He orders General Matthews to prepare a plan to deploy the "B" Squadron of the Delta Forces to Iraq to assist in the Israeli rescue effort. He gives the General the short version of the Israeli plan and advises him that the two Israeli commandos, whom Colonel Raymond left in Washington, will accompany the "B" Squadron during the operation. General Matthews has already developed a plan that needs little modification to accommodate the Israelis' request. He tells General Williamson that he will fly to Washington tomorrow to brief him and General Franklin on the role that the Delta Forces will probably play in this rescue.

General Taylor returns to his office and places calls to Lieutenant General James Renson, Commander of the Air Force Global Strike Command at Barksdale Air Force Base, Louisiana and to General Martin Young, Commander of Air Combat Command at Langley Air Force Base, Virginia. He informs them of the Israelis rescue plan. General Taylor orders Lt. General Renson's 610th B-2 Bomber Wing under the command of Brigadier General Van Kepler at Whiteman Air Force base in Missouri to be ready to destroy the air defenses at Natanz and the Fordo/Qom facilities. He knows that General Renson has already prepared an attack plan for the Natanz and Fordo nuclear enrichment facilities using the giant bunker buster: the Massive Ordnance Penetrator (MOP).

General Taylor tells General Renson to have those plans and those B-2A Spirit bombers standing by for the President's orders. General Taylor also orders General Renson to deploy a B-52H from the 2nd Bomb Wing at Barksdale to RAF Mildenhall in the UK.

General Young will come to the Pentagon to meet with the other commanders at General Franklin's office tomorrow. He has already given the orders to deploy twelve F-22A fighters from the 28th Fighter Squadron and its rapid deployment support unit from the 1st Fighter Wing. The F-22A "Raptor" fighters should be touching down at RAF Mildenhall later this morning.

General Taylor wants the 28th Fighter Squadron to attack the Tabriz Air Base, Vahdati Air Base, Omidiyeh Air Base, Shahrokhi Air Base, Khatami Air Base, Mehrabad Air Base and Doshan-Tappeh Air Base: the Imperial Iranian Air Force Headquarters. The staffs at the 523rd

Air Base Wing have been working on plans to support an attack on Natanz and the other nuclear facilities since the Iranians started threatening Israel.

General Taylor makes another call to General Ray Wilson of the Air Force Special Operations Command (AFSOC), 1st Special Operations Wing at Hurlburt Field in Florida. He gives General Wilson a short version of the Israeli rescue plan and what they need from the AFSOC.

"Ray, I need you to prepare for the deployment of five aircraft from the 23rd Special Operations Squadron of CV-22B Ospreys and one MC-130P "Combat Shadow" from the 77th Special Operations Squadron to RAF Mildenhall, UK as soon as possible. They will wait there for further instructions. We are going to need them in Iraq to extract the Israeli Special Forces and the captive engineers from Natanz. Your aircraft and men will meet up with the Delta Force's "B" Squadron at Joint Base Balad, Iraq," says General Taylor.

General Wilson advises his boss that he and the 23th Squadron Commander Lt. Colonel Rick Erikson will fly to Washington to discuss the AFSOC's role in the Israeli rescue.

Next, General Taylor contacts Colonel David White, Commander of the 48th Expeditionary Reconnaissance Squadron at Joint Base Balad to have one of his MQ-9 Reaper UAV to fly over to Natanz and report what it sees. General Taylor wants to get as much information about the route to and from Natanz.

1400Z: Hurlburt Field, Florida

In a hanger at Hurlburt Field in the panhandle of Florida, a specially modified Russian Antonov An-74TK-200 has just completed being painted in the colors of a fictitious East African air cargo airline, Kalean Airways. This transport aircraft is a Short Take-Off and Landing (STOL) aircraft with a rear ramp that can open in flight to insert Special Operations HALO (High Altitude Low Opening) paratroop commandos into hostile territory. It has been fitted with the newer; more fuel efficient ZMKB Progress D-436T1 version turbo fan engines that come on the new AN-74TK-300. These engines are uniquely mounted over the wing to utilize the engine's exhaust to increase lift and avoid foreign object debris on unimproved runway surfaces.

QX, Incorporated, a private security contractor's pilots will fly the Antonov to their forward operating base at the Jomo Kenyatta International Airport in Nairobi, Kenya. From Nairobi, they will flight plan a "commercial cargo flight" to Tbilisi, Georgia with the Israeli commandos secretly on board. One of the crew is a Russian speaking pilot that will handle the Air Traffic Control communications for this mission. The aircraft will depart Hurlburt Field tomorrow morning at 0600 and fly to Barbados in the Caribbean, refuel and continue to Recife, Brazil. It should arrive at about 2000 local time and remain there overnight. The next evening at approximately 2100, it will make the Atlantic Ocean crossing to the West African nation of Ghana and arrive in the morning at about 0600. It will refuel there for the flight to Nairobi.

The Special Operations Command has been using this platform for a few years to infiltrate Special Operations Forces into hostile countries. Since it is a Russian aircraft, it is especially useful in the African, Middle East and Southwest Asian theaters. If all goes well the aircraft should arrive in Nairobi about 1800Z, three days from now.
Chapter 12

Day 4: 1400Z: United Nations Building: NYC

Secretary of State Phillip Turner and the United States Ambassador to the United Nations are meeting with the other members of the U N Security Council. The President of the Security Council is speaking and advising the twelve members that the United States has requested an opportunity to present a draft resolution to require the Islamic Republic of Iran to release the twenty-four Israeli citizens that they are holding.

Secretary Turner stands up and begins speaking, "Honorable members of the United Nations Security Council, the United States has been informed by the Israeli government that twenty-four of its citizens were forcibly kidnapped and are being detained by the military of the Islamic Republic of Iran. The world witnessed on television, yesterday, that these men are being held at a nuclear enrichment facility inside of Iran. We have reason to believe that an Iranian military jet intercepted a civilian aircraft in Saudi Arabian airspace and forced it to land at a military base in Iran. We also believe that these Israelis are being used as human shields at their nuclear enrichment facilities. The United States of America condemns this criminal and heinous act of violence and is presenting a draft resolution to the Security Council. We would like the United Nations Security Council to adopt a Resolution that condemns the actions of the Islamic Republic of Iran and mandates that the Iranians release the Israelis and return them to freedom immediately!"

Outside the United Nations, a demonstration organized by the Jewish Defense League is in progress as the black Mercedes S550 sedan of the Iranian Ambassador to the UN arrives. The Mercedes and its security escort vehicle enter an underground parking garage to avoid the demonstrators. The Iranian Ambassador to the UN discreetly enters the building through the basement. He knows that the demonstrators would enjoy making a spectacle of him. He does not condone the action taken by his government but has to make an appearance of supporting his government to maintain his position.

As expected, the Ambassadors from Russia and China have voted against the draft resolution that was presented by the United States. Secretary Turner will now take it to the General Assembly for discussion.

As the delegates and attendees begin to enter the auditorium, the Iranian Ambassador is seen speaking with the Ambassador from Pakistan. He seems to be shaking his head.

Secretary Turner turns to the United States Ambassador and remarks, "I can tell that the Iranian Ambassador will not be conducive to any discussion about releasing the Israelis. But we have to bring the discussion to the floor. The best we can hope for is to distract them so that the engineers won't be moved before the Israelis and our jets can get there in time. Go call the President and tell him about what is happening here. He is going to speak to the nation on television tonight and he needs to know." The President of the United Nations General Assembly invites Secretary Turner to speak to the assembly. Secretary Turner gets up and walks to the podium.

1500Z: Pentagon

Early the next morning, General Franklin arrives at his office in the Pentagon to begin receiving the plans from the other Chiefs of Staff. He has confidence that his Staff will present plans that will be well thought out and will be executed precisely. He knows that the Israelis must move quickly before the Iranians have a chance to move the engineers. If the engineers are distributed among the different facilities that support the Iranian nuclear program; a successful rescue attempt will be almost impossible to execute. The entire Chiefs of Staff, Vice Admiral Delker, Colonel Raymond's two Israeli officers, General Wilson and Lt. Colonel Ericson from Hurlburt Field, General Young from Langley and General Matthews from Fort Bragg begin to arrive.

"Gentlemen," General Franklin begins, "Thank you for coming on such short notice. I am certain that you understand the seriousness of the situation. Our Israeli friends will begin the briefing and then I would like to hear your plans. I cannot stress how quickly we must act. Our intelligence sources tell us that the hostages are still being held at the Natanz nuclear facility. The Natanz compound is beginning to receive military reinforcements and the Iranians have placed their Air Force and air defense missile systems on high alert. We also believe that the Iranians will use their ballistic missiles if they are attacked. The Iranian IRGC Naval fleet is in the Gulf Of Oman. One of our E-3C AWAC is flying out of Muscat, Oman. It is monitoring the Iranian's communications and the air traffic activity in the area. After this meeting is over, get back to your commands as soon as possible. I will take our plans to the President and get his final approval. Be prepared to deploy your forces, immediately."

After hearing the Israelis' plan, each officer gives his proposed plan. Each plan received very little comment from the other officers. Everyone was focused on the problem: How do they get the Israeli commandos into Iran and back out with the engineers, safely?

At the conclusion of the briefing, General Franklin leaves to go to the White House. He meets with President Fenner in the Situation Room. Also present is the Secretary of Defense, Director of the CIA and the Director of the National Security Administration. He lays out the Israelis rescue plan and the requested American support, in detail.

"General Franklin, do you think that this plan will succeed with as little exposure to American lives as possible," asks President Fenner. He does not wait for an answer but continues, "I want to get those engineers out of Iran as soon as possible. The Israelis are going to use this as their excuse to take care of the nuclear threat that has been hanging over their heads for twenty years, first Iraq and Syria, now Iran. I am giving you the green light and I also want you to give the Israelis all the assistance that you can provide. I am authorizing the sale of an additional twenty GBU-28, Bunker Busters. I want twelve additional bombs to go to the Israelis and eight to the UAE. The Israelis may need the additional bombs to penetrate the underground facilities at Natanz and Fordo. Have General Taylor get two of his B-2s ready with the Massive Ordnance Penetrator (MOP). I will issue the final order to our forces to use it to destroy the Natanz facility and the Fordo facility that is located in the adjacent mountainside. I do not want the nuclear facilities at Bushehr destroyed. It is already built and appears to be for power generation only. But most of all, I do not want a damaged nuclear reactor spreading radiation over Bahrain, Qatar and the UAE."

"Yes sir, I will forward your orders to the Israelis. I do not think that Bushehr is on their target list. They will have their hands full with the other facilities," adds General Franklin, "and with your permission, I will get back to work."

As General Franklin leaves the Situation Room, he tells his aid to call the other Chiefs of Staff and inform them that the president has given his approval for Operation Final Notice.
Chapter 13

1600Z: Natanz: Iran

"Guard, tell Colonel Radan that I would like to meet with him", Yosef says.

Yosef and the other hostages have been confined for three days and are beginning to feel very restless. The IRGC guard comes back to the holding room and tells Yosef that Colonel Radan will see him. The guard shackles Yosef and he is led down the hallway to the other end of the underground support building.

Yosef can hear the sound of the thousands of centrifuges that are enriching the uranium in the adjoining buildings. Most of the workers in the underground facilities are wearing white protective clothing and masks but the Israelis are not offered any protection.

In Colonel Radan's office, the Captain of the Guards is conferring with the Colonel about the arrival of the additional Pasdaran from the Isfahan province. They are making plans for the housing and deployment of the additional soldiers.

"Captain, I want you to make sure that the new men are given proper facilities at the temporary barracks. Have additional guards distributed around the inside of the compound. The Air Defense Forces command has taken authority of the outside perimeter. We know that the Israelis are coming but we don't know when. They may come in an aerial attack. I do not see how they will be able to get through our air defenses. But we know they will try. Any rescue attempt would be suicidal but we know that these Israelis will sacrifice everything to save their country. They may not even try to rescue these men. Holding these men as hostages will not deter the Israelis from an aerial attack," explains Colonel Radan.

He does not say it but in his mind, he knows that most of the Iranian leaders do not understand this about the Israelis and that something bad is going to happen.

The Captain replies, "Our Supreme Leader tells us that the new missile defense systems should take care of any aerial threat."

Colonel Radan seems to pause to contemplate this statement then says, "We shall see."

Yosef is led into Colonel Radan's office. The colonel dismisses the Captain of the Guards. He does not want the Captain to hear the conversation between the Israeli and himself. "Yosef, have a seat...what is on your mind?"

This time Yosef takes a seat in front of the Colonel's desk. "Colonel Radan, the men need some exercise. We have been locked up for three days and are becoming very restless. You said that you needed my help to keep the men from being harmed. We need to get out of that room and get some fresh air," explains Yosef.

Yosef knows that if he and his men can get outside, the surveillance satellites will be able to see their location. He also knows that if Colonel Radan agrees to this request, he maybe someone that can be trusted as a reliable officer.

"Yosef, I understand your request and will take it into consideration. As a soldier, you understand the security issues that are involved with such a request. I understand what you are requesting. I thank you for your assistance in keeping the peace among your men. I personally have no quarrel with you or your country. I am just following orders. I will do my best to accommodate your request but please be patient. I will work something out and get back to you," replies Colonel Radan.

"Thank you, sir," says Yosef as a show of respect from one officer to another. He is taken back to the holding room. As he is pondering this indication of this officer's integrity, he thinks about his country and its probable response. He knows that they must be planning something which will include the destruction of this facility. What can he do to help this plan and hopefully survive to see his family again?

Colonel Radan thinks about Yosef's request. He knows that this is a reasonable request but it has many potential negative consequences associated with it. He did ask for Yosef's help in controlling the behavior of the captives so he can't refuse the request. How will he respond since there are no exercise facilities within the underground laboratories and support building? If he allows the Israelis outside during the day, they may be observed by the American satellites that are certainly watching. If he allows them outside at night, the risks of escape are increased. He decides to let the Israelis outside to exercise during the daylight hours to be able to control the situation. He is sure that the Americans and Israelis know that the engineers are at Natanz so there is not much reason to try and hide them.

Colonel Radan calls for the Captain to come back into his office, "Captain, I am authorizing you to take the prisoners outside for some exercise. Find a secure place to let them get some fresh air and exercise. Find something distinguishable for them to wear so that you can keep track of them."

"Yes Sir, Colonel," replies the Captain. "Colonel, I think that I can find something that the prisoners can wear to help us keep track of them," replies the Captain.

He is not sure that this is a good idea but it is his orders. He leaves Colonel Radan office.

Colonel Radan suspects that the PMOI/MKO has operatives working at Natanz and they are probably reporting everyday to the American and Israeli intelligence agents in the country. He is not a criminal and these men are not prisoners of war. He is trying to keep peace and order among the captives and preventing escape. At the same time, he has a dilemma trying to do his duty as a commander or keep his integrity and honor as an officer. Which one should he decide to do?
Chapter 14

Day 5: 0630Z: RAF Mildenhall: UK

RAF Mildenhall is located in the English countryside of Suffolk about ninety kilometers northeast of London. It is surrounded by farmland and is away from the scrutiny of the public and anyone interested in the activities of the United States and the British Royal Air Forces. It was opened in the 1930s and was used by RAF Bomber Command during World War Two. It became a Joint RAF and USAF base of operations in 1950 for the Strategic Air Command to station USAF B-29 Super fortresses to meet the Soviet threat during the "Cold War". It is the perfect place to pre-position the stealth fighters and supporting aircraft before sending the aircraft on their assigned missions. The five AFSOC aircraft from the "Blackbirds", 23rd Special Operations Squadron of CV-22B Ospreys and the MC-130P arrived yesterday morning and the crews have rested for their flight to Joint Base Balad, today.

"Reach 41, taxi Runway 11, via taxiway Charlie, Alpha, holding point Runway 11," says the US Air Force air traffic controller working the Ground Control frequency.

"Reach 41, Charlie, Alpha, holding point to Runway 11," replies the Captain Hart, aircraft commander of the flight of five CV-22s that are departing for Joint Base Balad.

The MC-130P that is supporting the Ospreys is in line behind them. The Ospreys still have their auxiliary internal long range fuel tanks installed in their cargo area so they will only have to do one in flight refueling with the MC-130P. The Osprey tilts the twin proprotors slightly forward to begin taxiing to Runway 11.

When the CV-22s reach the holding line for Runway 11, the Ground Controller says, "Reach 41, Contact the Tower: 118.9."

"Roger, 118.9," replies Captain Hart.

"Tower, Reach 41, ready for departure Runway 11," advises Captain Hart.

"Reach 41, cleared for take-off Runway 11, wind, 130 at 10," says the Tower Controller.

Each Osprey in turn rotate their rotors back to the vertical position and begin its ascent with their three bladed twin rotors in the helicopter mode. As the aircraft begin to climb they transition to the airplane/cruise mode by rotating their proprotors towards the front of the wing for cruise flight. Ten hours from now, they will be touching down at Joint Base Balad, Iraq.

1200Z: Natanz: Iran

Flying at an altitude of forty-five thousand feet over the Natanz nuclear enrichment facility, a US Air Force MQ-9 Reaper UAV is loitering. It was able to sneak into the Iranian airspace because it cannot be seen by the Iranian Air Traffic Controllers. The Iranians have boasted that their integrated air defense system can see the American drones but they have to turn on the detection/acquisition and guidance radar units that are associated with their anti-aircraft batteries.

This particular MQ-9 Reaper has the Lynx ER, a newer version of the AN/APY-8 sensor payload and multifunction Synthetic Aperture Radar (SAR). It is sending the images of the Natanz facility and area back via a command and control satellite data link to the pilot and sensor operator in the Ground Control Station at Joint Base Balad. These images are also being relayed back to Creech Air Force Base in Nevada to be evaluated and then sent to Air Combat Command at Langley.

The Ground Moving Target Indication mode is recording the troop buildup at Natanz and the positions of the fixed anti aircraft batteries. At this altitude using the "Strip" Mode, it was able to able to record the entire infiltration/extraction route that the CV-22 Ospreys will fly from Iraq. It flew the same route through the mountain valleys to get into position over Natanz. The Reaper was able to identify numerous anti-aircraft positions adjacent to this route. This information will also be helpful to the American and Israeli attackers. The Reaper is able to loiter for nine hours before it will have to return to Joint Base Balad for servicing.

1830Z: RAF Mildenhall: UK

The flight crews of the two KC-10A Extenders from the 305th Air Mobility Wing from Joint Base McGuire-Dix-Lakehurst, NJ have completed their preflight preparations for their flight to Incirlik Air Base, Turkey. They have accompanied the 28th Fighter Squadron F/22A Raptor fighters of the 1st Fighter Wing and are transporting the 1st Aircraft Maintenance Rapid Deployment Squadron from Joint Base Langley-Eustis, Virginia. The KC-10s will depart about an hour and half before the F-22s to give the stealth fighters a night time departure. The US Air Force Air Combat Command does not need to advertise their movements to anyone that maybe watching the base.

As the KC-10 tankers taxi out for the runway, the pilots are going through their pre-departure checklists. The KC-10 Extender flight crews have flown to Incirlik Air Base many times and are familiar with the route across Europe.

These tanker crews have not been in combat with an enemy that has such an advanced integrated air defense system as the Iranians claim to have. The flight crews are a little nervous because they will be called upon to perform numerous night aerial refueling for the American and Israeli fighters, before and after their bombing missions. Other tanker aircraft from their wing at Joint Base McGuire will also be in the theater with other assigned aircraft to refuel.

The crews try to put these thoughts out of their minds and get involved with their immediate task and that is to arrive at the Incirlik Air Base tonight. They will need to get some good rest before the coming battle. The first KC-10A is cleared to taxi into position for takeoff on Runway 11. When the Tower Controller clears it for takeoff, the gigantic KC-10, full of jet fuel, slowly begins its roll down the runway. It slowly rotates the nose up and a few seconds later lifts off the ground, retracts the landing gear and climbs to three thousand feet. The RAF Mildenhall Tower Controller instructs the crew to contact Suffolk Radar. The Extender flight crew checks in with Suffolk Radar and they are given an initial climb to Flight Level 150. Suffolk Radar clears the flight on the planned departure route towards the coast of Belgium. Fifteen minutes later, the second KC-10A departs RAF Mildenhall on the same flight planned route.

1900Z: Pope Air Force Base: North Carolina

A US Air Force C-21A, Learjet, touches down at Pope Air Force Base, adjacent to Fort Bragg in the foothills of North Carolina. General Matthews and the two Israeli commandos remained in Washington last night to work out the final details of their plan. They also wanted to personally get the latest intelligence reports from the CIA.

They are met by Captain Stanley Ray of the US Army's Delta Forces "B" Squadron. Introductions are brief so that Captain Ray and his team can get the Israelis prepared for their five thousand mile flight to the United States Naval Air Station at Sigonella, Sicily, tonight, in the 437th Operations Group C-17B Globemaster III. The giant C-17 just flew in from Joint Base Charleston. General Matthews had called his office at Fort Bragg and ordered the "B" Squadron to get ready to deploy immediately.

Captain Ray and the "B" Squadron are just about ready to board the C-17 and are doing a final check of their equipment. General Matthews gives a final update and instructions.

"Captain, you will meet up with the 8th Special Operations Squadron CV-22s at Joint Base Balad, the day after tomorrow. You will meet Colonel Raymond and his men when you stop at NAS Sigonella. He and his men should arrive there about two hours after your flight lands. These men, referring to the two Israeli commandos, will give you a full briefing on your flight tonight. They will help you identify Colonel Raymond's men and Israeli hostages when you get to Natanz. I do not need to tell you how important this mission is, Captain. Do you have any questions?"

"No Sir," replies Captain Ray.

"Good Luck!" says General Matthews.

Captain Ray salutes General Matthews and walks up the rear loading ramp of the C-17 with the "B" Squadron and the Israelis. He performs one last check of his men and equipment and then informs the C-17 Loadmaster that he is ready to depart. The Loadmaster calls the pilots on the interphone and closes the loading ramp. The C-17 flight crew receives their clearance from Pope Ground Control and taxis out for departure. It's going to be a very long night and a tough, next few days.

2000Z: Mildenhall: UK

The 28th Fighter Squadron of F-22A Raptors is one of the oldest US Air Force fighter squadrons in the United States. It was the first operational squadrons to fly the stealth fighter/bomber. The squadron has been deployed for many secret missions that have been classified as this one will be. The 28th Fighter Squadron was the first choice for such a dangerous and important mission. The Iranian Air Defenses is believed to be one of the best in the Middle East and it has a large but old Air Force.

The pilots of the 28th Fighter Squadron finish their squadron briefing from their Commanding Officer, Major Mike Tippets. Major Tippets was one of the first Air Force pilots to fly the F-22, Raptor.

"Today's flight will involve at least one night time aerial refueling as we transit European airspace. The squadron will spend forty-eight hours at Incirlik Air Base, Turkey. We will brief our attack plans once we have received the final orders from the President. Our ground crews will be waiting for us when we arrive tonight. If we get the green light, after the first attack, we will be using Joint Base Balad, Iraq, for fuel and weapons replenishment. Maintain radio silence; I will be the only one speaking to the Euro Control and the Istanbul Air Traffic Controllers. Do you have any questions?"

No one answers because they have operated together many times in the past. These men understand their duty and this mission.

"OK, let's get going." The twelve pilots grab their gear and are taken to their aircraft on the flight line.

2100Z: Hatzerim Air Base: Southern Israel

In the Negev desert just west of the town of Be'er Sheba in southern Israel, the Israeli Air Force's Hatzerim Airbase is the home to one F-16i Sufa (Storm) and three F-15i Ra'am (Thunder) fighter squadrons. It has a pair of three thousand meters parallel runways and another shorter runway for student aviator training. The elevation of the airport is approximately seven hundred feet mean sea level and the terrain around the Hatzerim Airbase is flat.

The F-16i Sufa Storm is a two seat derivative of the highly successful Block 50/52 that has been a very important fighter aircraft in the Israeli Air Force (IAF). The most notable difference is the addition of the Conformal Fuel Tanks (CFT) that is mounted on top of the wing close to the fuselage. These removable fuel tanks will extend the range of the F-16i Sufa by 50%. The additional centerline and wing tanks give the Sufa a combat radius of approximately eleven hundred nautical miles (2000km).

The F-16i is powered by a Pratt and Whitney F-100- PW229 Increased Performance Engine. This increased powered engine and heavy duty landing gear has allowed an increase in the takeoff weight. Unlike any other F-16 from the General Dynamics Company, the Sufa is equipped with an advance avionics package that the Israeli company Elbit has developed. It also has the Northrop Grumman AN/APG-68(v) 9 multimode radar systems and an advanced weapons system hardware that will allow the Sufa to track and engage multiple air to air targets.

The McDonnell Douglas F-15i is the most advanced version of the F-15 fighter jet that has ever been produced. It is a long range, all weather two seat fighter/bomber that is capable of low level altitude night time penetrations. The Ra'am is equipped with the advanced Hughes APG-70 Synthetic Aperture Radar. It can track ground targets in the day or night even in adverse weather. Like the F-16i, it has a Lantirn navigation and guidance pod with a FLIR and laser designator, a Kaiser holographic Heads-Up Display and the pilots wear the Elbit display and sight helmet (DASH) system. These particular F-15s have been specially modified with a centerline pylon mounting to accept the 7.6 meter long GBU-28 Bunker Buster. These fighters are equipped with a satellite communications system by Elta in addition to the Rafael UHF/VHF/HF radio package. They are able to maintain long range direct communications with their base operations for any updates.

The F-16i Sufa and the F-15i Ra'am have some other very unique modifications that were added by the Israelis to enhance the aircraft's performance and the pilots' abilities to fight. They will need all these features to fly undetected into Iranian airspace and bomb the nuclear enrichment plants.

Some say that the (i) stands for Iran but the IAF insists that it stands for Israel.

Since their flight into Iran will involve transiting Iraqi and Saudi airspace, the US Air Force tankers will be conducting the aerial refueling. Most of the flight inside Iran to be flown at treetop level, so these aircraft will using more fuel and will have to refuel before entering and exiting Iranian airspace.

But tonight, these eight aircraft are preparing to depart from Hatzerim Airbase for the United States Naval Air Station at Sigonella, Sicily to practice a nighttime aerial refueling with a US Air Force KC-10A over the Mediterranean Sea. The distance to United States Naval Air Station at Sigonella, Sicily is approximately the same distance that the Israeli F-16s and F-15s will have to fly from Israel to Natanz, Qom, Arak, Darkhovin and Isfahan. They are also planning to take delivery of six additional GBU-28s at NAS Sigonella and return to Hatzerim Airbase in the morning.

Major Ira Levine is the Commander of the 68th Squadron at Hatzerim Airbase. He has been an IAF officer for twenty years and has flown most of the fighter aircraft that the Israeli Air Force has operated during his career. He has over five thousand flight hours and fifteen hundred hours in the F-16C/D and F-16i. Major Levine is the most experienced pilot flying the Sufa "Storm".

The flight that he and his wingman will make tonight is a mission that he is very familiar with. They will escort the six F-15i fighters tonight. His squadron's F-16i are armed with two Rafael Python 5 air to air missiles, two AMRAAMS (AIM-120C) Radar guided missiles, a 20 mm multi barrel Vulcan cannon, the Itald (Improved tactical air launched decoy system) and an electronic warfare system. These pilots have practiced this operation many times over the past 3 years.

Major Levine completes the briefing and the eight pilots and their eight weapons operators are driven out to their aircraft sitting in their protective concrete revetments on the ramp. The ground crew members have prepared their aircraft and are very proud of their airplanes as their pilots perform the preflight inspections. They line up and salute the pilots as each aircraft receives its clearance to taxi to the runway. The crews will wait for the fighters to return home in about seven hours. They have done this exercise many times before and these preparations have become almost a routine.

The flight of eight IAF fighters taxi to Runway 12 Left, two at a time. Major Levine's and his wingman are the first to taxi into position for take-off.

When the two F-16 fighters are cleared for take-off, their afterburners light up, brakes are released and the two aircraft begin accelerating down the runway. Then the six F-15i aircraft are cleared to move onto the runway in a similar way.

The flight departs Hatzerim Air Base to the north towards GITLA intersection to form up on Major Levine's wing. The flight turns towards the northwest to intercept the airway: UM 872. They are using this route to avoid the Sinai Desert and the Egyptian airspace. They are flying at a low altitude and a tight formation until out of radar coverage of the North African countries. Later in the flight; they will climb to a higher altitude for the refueling exercise.

As the flight approaches KAROL Intersection, Major Levine requests Flight Level 280 from Nicosia Control. When he receives the clearance, he begins to climb to his assigned altitude with the other fighters monitoring the frequency and following his lead.

Flying at Flight Level 280, "Reach 28", the call sign for a USAF K-10 Extender, has requested a block altitude from FL260 to FL300 at DEMAG Intersection from Athena Control. DEMAG is approximately seven hundred and fifty nautical miles from Hatzerim Air Base. This is approximately the same distance to a point from Hatzerim Air Base that the IAF F-16i and F-15i fighters will need to be refueled before entering Iranian airspace when they attack Natanz and the other nuclear facilities. "Reach 28" begins to fly a refueling race track pattern at three hundred knots indicated airspeed waiting for the flight of Israeli fighters to arrive.
**Chapter** **15**

Day 6: 0430Z: Be'er Sheva: Israel

As the sun rises over Be'er-Sheva, a very somber mood is present at the apartment of Lt. Colonel Benjamin Raymond and his family. He bends over to kiss his wife. He smiles and tells her that he loves her and will be back in a couple of days. He enters the bedrooms of his children to kiss their foreheads while they are still asleep. This scene has been played many times in his long career and it has been accepted as a way of life in this Israeli family.

His family knows that he cannot tell them about his mission but they know that it is always going to be a dangerous one. His wife knows in her heart that he is going after the captured engineers even though he has not said this. The kidnapping of the engineers has consumed the news. It has been in all the newspapers and on television. She believes that he will return safely because he always has. She gives him one last hug and whispers, "Please be careful, I love you."

He bends over and kisses her goodbye. He leaves and his mind automatically switches to the mission that is ahead of him.

0530Z: Hatzerim Air Base

Inside a hanger at the Israeli Air Force's Hatzerim Air Base, two Israeli C-130J military transports are being loaded and prepared to depart for the US Naval Air Station at Sigonella. One aircraft will transport Colonel Raymond's team and equipment. The other C-130J in this hanger will transport the Harop Loitering Killer Drones, munitions unit, mission control shelter and launcher.

The Harop is a small, winged Unmanned Combat Aerial Vehicle (UCAV), dedicated for the Suppression of Air Defenses (SEAD). It is a mobile launched derivative of the highly successful Harpy Killer UCAV, but it is remotely controlled by an operator. The Israeli Aerospace Industries developed the Harop Loitering Killer Drones to detect attack and destroy hostile Surface to Air Missiles, the anti-aircraft system's radar, command unit and mobile or concealed ballistic missile launchers. It also has one thousand kilometer range/six hour endurance. Its small size will allow it to sneak into Iranian airspace, undetected.

The Harop carries a fifty-one pound high explosive warhead. It can wait for the enemy to turn on the radar system of their anti-aircraft missile defense systems or the operator can attack targets using an electro-optical system.

Another Israeli C-130J is being loaded in an adjacent hanger with the Harpy Air Defense

Suppression System battery. A Harpy battery consists of three vehicles and contains eighteen UCAVs. They will also leave Hatzerim Air Base for NAS Sigonella.

From NAS Sigonella, these UCAVs will be transported to Joint Base Balad by the United States Air Force's C-17. Then the UCAVs will be launched from there to destroy the Iranian anti-aircraft radar sites and clear the path for the CV-22 Ospreys and the Israeli fighter/bombers.

At precisely, 0530Z, Colonel Raymond walks into the hanger at Hatzerim Air Base. He is dressed in the Iranian IRGC officer's desert camouflaged uniform. The rest of his team, nicknamed "Batmen", is also wearing the Iranian IRGC uniforms. Underneath their uniforms each operator is wearing the Dragon Skin: lighter weight (titanium) body armor.

Some of his men are armed with the Israeli Tavor assault rifle with a night vision and integral Reflex red dot laser sight. Others on his team will have the Czech CZ Scorpion EVO 3 A1 submachine gun. Each member of the "Batmen" has a mini transponder and GPS receiver that can track each other member of the team. Colonel Raymond walks around speaking to each one as they pack their weapons, explosives and satellite telephones/radios in the compartments on the Gryphon "wing".

Colonel Raymond and his team of six Israeli Defense Force Sayeret Maglan commandos (Katzefit) will be using a unique method of infiltration for this rescue. His team has acquired the Gryphon Parachute System.

About six months previous to the hijacking of the engineers, Colonel Raymond and his men started testing this new system developed by a German company for sport skydiving. It was very quickly adapted by the special operations community for stealth insertions. The Sayeret Maglan groups have made numerous HALO (High Altitude Low Opening) parachute jumps from an IAF C-130 military aircraft using the Gryphon wing system.

This new system allows the parachutist to "glide" into the target area. It allows for stealth insertions and also provides protection for the delivery aircraft. The commandos can fly further distances to the target area than was available with previous systems.

It is a complete system with a Heads Up display (night vision feature with a navigation mode) in the helmet and a personal oxygen system attached. The composite wing system has the capacity to carry about one hundred pounds of equipment and ordnance in a self contained locker on the back of the wing. Once the jumper reaches the objective at the desired altitude, he deploys his parachute and detaches the wing which remains tethered to a rope.

The Israelis plan to leave the aircraft at approximately thirty thousand feet and glide for about twenty-five kilometers at one hundred fifty kilometers per hour towards the nuclear facility. They should touch down approximately five kilometers from the facility. They will dispose of their Gryphon Parachute systems and prepare for their assault on the underground buildings where the hostages are being held.

If everything goes as they have planned, two Mossad Metsada agents will commandeer a military truck before Colonel Raymond and his men arrive at the designated drop zone. These agents were infiltrated into Iran through Azerbaijan as soon as Lt. Colonel Raymond received approval for his rescue plan.

According to the plan, Lt. Colonel Raymond and his team want to drive right through the front gate, dressed as Iranian Pasdaran reinforcements. But, if something happens to the Mossad agents, their backup plan is to hike the remaining five kilometers and enter through the wire fence in a remote area of the compound. Their intelligence agencies report that the vastness of the facility is secured by two rows of chain link fence with concertina wire.

Satellite photos also show that anti-aircraft missile batteries are positioned in the area surrounding the facilities. IRGC guards patrol around the inside of the perimeter fence.

The Iranian IRGC High Command has always assumed that the major threat was going to come from an Israeli or American bombardment. Their preparations have been mostly directed towards air defense with anti-aircraft batteries and their air force. The Israeli intelligence reports also tell them that since the hijacking there has been an increase in the number of IRGC guards arriving to reinforce the security forces already in place at Natanz.

After landing, Colonel Raymond's team must move quickly. Once inside the compound they will have a small element of surprise. Hopefully the chaos of the planned aerial attack by the American cruise missiles and Air Force stealth bombers will distract the IRGC guards just enough for his team to get into the tunnel and underground area.

Colonel Raymond's and his team are veterans of many successful special operations missions. They have been training and working together for years. They know each other and their families well. They have not had much time to get ready for this operation. He and his men will be relying on intelligence that the Mossad and the American CIA have obtained from their sources inside of Iran. He has satellite photos of the surrounding area and sketches of the inside layout of the Natanz underground facility. His team's most important asset is their experience and desire.

A few minutes later, Israeli Defense Minister Ehud Gadi arrives to observe the return of the F-16i and F-15i from NAS Sigonella. He also wanted to check on the commando team's preparation and give one last word of encouragement to the men. Mr. Gadi watches as Lt. Colonel Raymond's men are going through the final stages of checking their equipment and weapons.

Minister Gadi says to Colonel Raymond, "Last night, at NAS Sigonella, a US Air Force C-17 arrived from Ramstein Air Base. It brought an additional the twelve GBU-28 C/B Bunker Busters that the American President has authorized for Israel. After this C-17 arrived in Sigonella, the GBU-28 bombs were off loaded. Six of these bombs were prepared for our six Israeli F-15i Ra'am fighters to pick up during their practice flight last night. The other six bombs will be transported to Israel by these C-130 aircraft for back up in the event that the first wave of bombing is not effective. The C-17 will then transport our UCAVs and their operators to the US base in Iraq."

Lt. Colonel Raymond says, "If all goes as planned and God willing, we will be back in thirty-six hours. These drones and the American stealth bombers should be able to clear a path for our F-15s and F-16s to take care of this threat from the Iranians, once and for all."

"I hope so. A lot depends on the US Air Force and these UCAVs. The Harop has not been tested against the Russian Almaz S-300 PMU-1 (SA-20 Gargoyle) anti-aircraft missile system. Our intelligence agencies and the Americans believe that the Iranians may have finally acquired it from the Russians."

The S-300PMU-1, Self-Propelled, Surface to Air missile system is the first digital variant of the highly successful S-300 system. The Russians claim that this system can engage cruise missiles, smart bombs, drones and aircraft flying at fifteen meters or above, at a distance of one to one hundred twenty kilometers. The Russians also believe that the S-300 is immune to radar jamming.

The S-300PMU-1 Gargoyle missile battery consists of three vehicles: the TEL (Transporter Erector Launcher) can carry four 9M96E2 missiles, a command and control system (can control twelve TELs) and a detection radar unit that incorporates a surveillance, fire control and guidance radar. The mobility of the batteries makes it very effective since it can hide anywhere until ready to be used. Then it can set up in under three minutes.

"I think that we discovered its vulnerabilities in 2008 when we had that exercise in Crete with the Greek S-300P anti-aircraft system. If the Iranians do have it; it will probably be hidden somewhere in the vicinity between Natanz and Qom. That is where we will send our Harop UCAV." advises the Minister.

The Harop will be able to loiter overhead until the S-300 battery reveals itself when the American and Israeli aircraft approach Iran. The stealth American fighter jets and their cruise missiles will also be there to destroy the Iranian Air Defenses and their Western Command Air Force bases.

"So, we may not be able to end their nuclear program but we should be able to slow down their development of nuclear weapons. They will surely retaliate with their proxies Hezbollah in Lebanon and Hamas in Gaza. Their Iranian supplied missiles will certainly rain down on our country unless we hit their missile launchers first. The Iranians may even be able to get some of their new Sajjil and Shahab "3" long range missiles through the defensive shield that we have. We have to be ready."

He pauses in thought for a moment. "We have to destroy those nuclear facilities. Some of our people will die but less than if the Iranians are allowed to continue developing their nuclear weapons. Maybe the rest of the world will now see that our actions are not aggressive but purely defensive. Now, is there anything else that you or your team need?" says Minister Gadi.

"Yes, sir, pray that the Americans will be on time. And pray for us and our nation, shalom!"

"I will. Be careful, shalom!"

The Israeli commandos have completed their preparations. It is time to leave.

Lt. Colonel Raymond turns to his team, "Men, it is time to go, let's go get our engineers!" Lt. Colonel Raymond and his men with their equipment board the Israeli Air Force C-130J and get settled in for the three and a half hour flight to the US Naval Air Station at Sigonella, Sicily. Their aircraft taxis out and departs.

At NAS Sigonella, the "Batmen" will transfer to a chartered American civilian L-100J, scheduled cargo transport aircraft for the eight hour flight to Nairobi, Kenya. They should arrive in Nairobi, about two hours after the Kalean Air Antonov AN-74TK. They will spend the night and leave the next morning.

The other two Israeli C-130s will depart for NAS Sigonella about two hours after Lt. Colonel Raymond's C-130 leaves. The UCAV trucks, launchers and operating personnel in these C-130s will transfer to the waiting US Air Force C-17s.

During the flight, Lt. Colonel Raymond reviews the plans and sketches of the underground Natanz nuclear facility. He is counting on the accuracy of these drawings that he has received from the American's sources inside of Iran. He knows that most of this operation will rely on his ability to improvise, surprise and to overcome the enemy. And besides, they know that have no choice. They have to try and rescue the engineers.
Chapter 16

0530Z: Gulf of Oman

The United States Navy's Fifth Fleet Carrier Strike Group One is steaming back toward the northern end of the Gulf of Oman at flank speed and should arrive later today. Vice Admiral Nelson Pickett, Commander, US Naval Forces Central Command (COMUSNAVCENT) has received orders from Admiral Winston to move as quickly as he can into a tactical position in the Gulf of Oman. He has received his orders to be ready to attack tomorrow night.

Vice Admiral Pickett commands his Fifth Fleet Carrier Strike Group from the CVN 74: USS John C. Stennis. In addition to the John C. Stennis aircraft carrier, Carrier Group One consists of Carrier Air Wing Fifteen based at NAS Oceana, Virginia, two Ticonderoga class guided missile cruisers and the Destroyer Squadron Three. CTF 54 Submarine Forces is also an element of the Fifth Fleet Strike Force.

Admiral Pickett is keeping the nuclear submarine, USS Jimmy Carter (SSN-23) near the fleet in the Gulf of Oman to help protect the Carrier Strike Group and the shipping lanes of the Straits of Hormuz from any attempt by the Imperial Iranian Navy to attack the commercial vessels.

Admiral Pickett turns to Captain Sidney Jenkins, the Captain of the USS John C. Stennis, "Captain, get a couple of your F/A-18s and an E-2C, up and flying. We don't want to attract too much attention but we need keep an eye on the Iranian fleet and their submarines. We are going to stand off about one hundred miles to stay out of range of the Iranian radar. We are going to need the EA-18G Growlers to suppress the Russian and Chinese supplied anti-aircraft radar systems that the Iranians have at their air bases in southern Iran and near Bandar Abbas. We will use the Northrop Grumman X-47 B UCAV (Unmanned Combat Air Vehicle) to attack the Iranian Naval Missile Frigates and Missile Crafts. Washington says that their intelligence reports indicate that the Iranian Air Defense Forces have the Almaz S-200VE Vega/SA-5B Gammon Long Range Surface to Air Missiles (SAM), the Chinese supplied HQ-2 "Sayyad" 2 (Hunter II) medium range SAMs and the older Mersad anti-aircraft systems at their naval bases and coastal defense facilities."

Captain Jenkins issues the order to launch the F-18s and the E-2.

Admiral Pickett is depending on the UAE Air Force to assist him in destroying the Imperial Iranian Naval Bases at Bandar Abbas and Sirri Island. The Iranian Navy has approximately seventy-four PTF (patrol torpedo fast) boats based at these facilities. These vessels are highly maneuverable and difficult to track but have a relatively short range. Some of these PTFs are equipped with the "Hoot" supercavitation torpedo and some of these PTFs could be used to disperse naval mines.

The "Hoot" is a reversed engineered version of the Russian V-111 Shkval. It can also be delivered from any of the nineteen "Ghadir" class (midget) submarines that the Iranian Navy has deployed in the Persian Gulf. The 'Hoot" is a very fast torpedo that can reach speeds of approximately 360 km/hour. It is very difficult to defend against.

The UAE Navy and Air Force's responsibility will be to destroy as many of these patrol boats and submarines as it can before they can get into a position to use the "Hoot" against Admiral Pickett's fleet or other naval vessels in the area.

The biggest threat that Admiral Pickett's fleet will face is the Iranian Navy's "Ghader" cruise missiles, the C-802 anti-ship missiles from their frigates and missile ships and the land based Kowsar anti-ship missile. The Iranians claim that these weapons are immune to ECM (Electronic Counter Measures) and tracking.

Admiral Pickett orders the guided-missile cruiser, USS Bunker Hill and the guided-missile destroyer, USS Kidd, ahead, through the Straits of Hormuz into the Persian Gulf to Bahrain, the home of the Fifth Fleet. Both vessels are equipped with the AEGIS Combat Missile System and the AN/SLY-1 radar system.

As the Bunker Hill and Kidd pass around the Oman coastline and enter the Straits, an Imperial Iranian Navy Moudge Class Light Frigate and several PTF patrol boats begin to shadow them in an attempt to intimidate the Navy commanders.

The USS Bunker Hill and USS Kidd are armed with RGM-109 Tactical Tomahawk cruise missiles with the Mk. 41 vertical launching system and the Phalanx Close-In Weapon System anti-ship missile defense system. Admiral Pickett wants the USS Bunker Hill and the USS Kidd's ship launched Tomahawk cruise missiles to attack the early warning surveillance radar, the anti-aircraft Surface to Air Missile sites and runways at Omidiyeh Air Base, Bushehr Air Base and Shiraz Air Base.

1000Z: NAS Sigonella

The Israeli C-130J touches down on Runway 28R and is cleared to continue to the end of the runway. At the end, it exits onto the ramp of the US Naval Air Station. It is met by a US Navy grey "Follow Me" pickup truck that leads the aircraft to a parking position next to a Lyndon Air L-100J that arrived last night. Lyndon Air is a civilian contractor for the United States military and has the newest version of the C-130J built for a civilian operator.

Captain Pete Williams, Base Commander for NAS Sigonella and his Executive Officer are waiting on the ramp. The flight line ground crew is also standing by with trucks to help Colonel Raymond and his men transfer their equipment and supplies to the waiting L-100J for their flight to Nairobi.

When the aircraft comes to a stop, Lt. Colonel Raymond says to his men before disembarking the Israeli C-130J, "Let's get our equipment on the other aircraft as soon as possible. We want to leave as soon as possible. It is an eight hour flight to Nairobi. Do you need anything?" Everyone shakes their head, no. "I will be back in a few minutes. Monitor the radio frequency. I am going to test these radios with our men on the other plane." He also takes two satellite telephones with him to give to his men that are with Captain Ray. His men and the Israeli loadmaster start organizing the transfer of their equipment.

Sitting next to the Lyndon Air L-100J, are two United States Air Force C-17s. One arrived yesterday from Ramstein Air Base and the other from Pope Air Force base at 0830Z, this morning. The flight crew of the Pope C-17 aircraft is going through the post flight duties. The US Navy ground crews are preparing both aircraft to receive the Israeli UCAV batteries from the Israeli C-130s that will land in about two hours. Both C-17s will be used transport the Israeli killer drones, "B" Squadron and the remaining GBU-28 bombs. Both C-17s will arrive tonight at Joint Base Balad.

As he walks down the rear ramp, Lt. Colonel Raymond is greeted by NAS Sigonella Base Commander Captain Williams and his Executive Officer. Together, they walk over to the USAF C-17. They walk up the rear ramp of the C-17.Captain Williams introduces Colonel Raymond to Captain Ray.

Already on the aircraft are his two fellow Sayeret Maglan operators that he left in Washington. They are very happy to see each other and they exchange updated information about the mission. Captain Ray takes Lt. Colonel Raymond to meet the members of the Delta Force "B" Squadron. Lt. Colonel Raymond greets each member of the squad personally. He speaks to the Delta team and gives them the updated plan and the latest Israeli intelligence briefing on Natanz.

Surprise, speed and intense violence will be the key to this operation as it is for all special operations hostage rescues. The timing and equipment are critical so everyone checks their watches and sets them to Tehran time. Colonel Raymond gives his men the radios and frequencies for his team's radios so that everyone is on the same frequency. The Israelis also check the satellite phones that Colonel Raymond gave to them. After answering a few questions, Captain Raymond says goodbye and joins his men on the L-100J, which is just about ready to depart for Nairobi.

The L-100J has already been fueled and the flight crew has received its flight plan and reviewing their route. Their flight will take them over North Africa and down the Red Sea, across Ethiopia, avoiding the Somali airspace and then into Kenya's Jomo Kenyatta International Airport. They have been there many times before for the US government. They are familiar with the local protocol in Kenya. They are planning on using the US Naval Expeditionary Base, Camp Lemonnier, at Djibouti, as their alternate in case anything unexpected occurs.

Lt. Colonel Raymond checks in with his men to make sure that everything is in order and that they are ready to leave. He makes a trip to the cockpit and introduces himself to the flight crew. Everything seems to be ready. He checks the intended route with the pilots and returns to his men in the cargo hold. Settling in for the long flight, he reviews what he has learned from Captain Ray and his two men.

1200Z: Natanz: Iran

It is 3:30 pm and the sunlight is so bright that the hostages are momentarily blinded as they are being led outside with their hands bound and their ankles shackled. Josef and the other hostages are wearing the same drab blue jumpsuit that that is issued to the laborers that work at the Natanz construction sites. A large white X has been painted on the front and back to identify them from other workers wearing this same color jumpsuit. The hostages are led to a remote area away from the rest of the activity that is taking place at the compound. The guards remove the ankle shackles so the men can at least walk around. The hostages are being guarded by ten IRGC soldiers that were handpicked by the Captain of the Guards.

Yosef is wondering why this intelligent and experienced career Iranian officer would grant such a request. This exposure will certainly reveal to the American and Israeli intelligence sources that the hostages are still being held at Natanz. Could there be another motive or is this just a negligent mistake? Regardless of the reason, Yosef knows that the American's and Mossad's informants will probably be watching. If the Israelis are seen and recognized, he knows that there will probably be a rescue attempt by the Israelis or Americans.

1600Z: Pentagon

General Taylor calls General Franklin and says, "General, we have just received some photos from the 21th Expeditionary Reconnaissance Squadron at Joint Base Balad. These photos were uploaded from a Reaper UAV that is flying over Natanz.

It looks like there is a group of men wearing jumpsuits with a large X on their backs. It looks like they are being guarded by Iranian soldiers. And there are twenty four of these men! I believe that these are the Israeli engineers. I do not understand why the Iranians would allow them to be exposed outside. Do you think that it could be some kind of a trick?"

General Franklin is just as surprised and a little confused by this information, also. He thanks General Taylor for this unexpected development.

He places a call to President Fenner. "Mr. President, I have confirmation that the Israelis are still being held at Natanz. One of our UAVs has taken a picture of twenty-four men in jumpsuits with an X on their backs. They are being guarded by Iranian soldiers," explains General Franklin.

President Fenner replies, "It seems very suspicious to me but let's stay with our plans. I will notify Prime Minister Yadin, immediately. I do not know why a commander would allow such a blatant act when he must know that our intelligence sources and the Israelis are watching. Let's see what intelligence information that we have on this Iranian officer. I should be receiving a report from the CIA, soon. When I receive it, maybe we can determine who this person is and if this is a trick or a signal."

1800Z: Jomo Kenyatta Airport: Kenya

The Jomo Kenyatta International Airport is located on the high plateau that is situated in central Kenya. The airport, one of the busiest in East Africa, is located about fifteen km southeast of Nairobi. It has served as the African base of operations for the American private security company. The company does contract "security work" for the United States and other governments in Africa and the Middle East.

The Control Tower clears the Kalean Airways Antonov-74TK to land on Runway 06. It is then cleared to taxi to a remote hanger located on the northern side of the airport. There are only a few individuals waiting outside for its arrival. The large hanger doors are opened as it approaches the ramp and the plane taxis in and shuts down its engines. The hanger doors are quickly closed.

The flight crew goes through its normal post flight duties and informs the ground crew of the minor discrepancies that will need some attention before tomorrow's flight. After informing the company's ground crew about the write ups, they gather their personal gear and depart for the company's secured compound in Nairobi for some much needed rest. They will return in the morning at 0500Z to prepare for their flight to Tbilisi, Georgia.

The ground crew begins performing their post flight inspection and will stay up most of the night to correct the minor issues that have been described to them by the flight crew. They will also be here when the Lyndon Air L-100J arrives with Colonel Raymond and his team.

1900Z: Joint Base Balad: Iraq

The first C-17B, Globemaster III, from NAS Sigonella lands at Joint Base Balad in Iraq. It is located just sixty-five km north of Bagdad. It was former US Army and Air Force base that has been used after it was captured from the Iraqi Air Force. It was recently handed back over to the Iraqi Security Forces but the United States Air Force and US Army still use it as Logistics Support Area (LSA). US Air Force Air Traffic Controllers are still present with the Iraqi Controllers in the Air Traffic Control facilities at Joint Base Balad and the other facilities at Kirkuk Airport in the north and Ali Air Base in the south.

This C-17B is bringing the Delta Forces "B" Squadron" and the Harop Unmanned Combat Air Vehicle battery. This aircraft was the first to arrive since it took a northern route from NAS Sigonella over the Mediterranean Sea to Turkey avoiding Syrian and Iranian airspace and then south to Joint Base Balad.

The other C-17B took a southern route over Egypt and Saudi Arabia and is approaching the base from the southwest. It is bringing the Harpy UCAV batteries and the rest of the GBU-28 bombs that will be transported to the UAE Air Force in Abu Dhabi.

As the first C-17 is being unloaded, Captain Ray and his men are taken to the US Army's quarters at Camp Anaconda to get some rest. The Air Force ground crews begin to unload the Harop UCAV battery. The Israeli Harop technicians and operators, dressed as civilians, are supervising and inspecting their equipment. The crews reposition the munitions unit, mission control shelter and the launcher vehicles to a large hanger located on the northeast corner of the field to be kept out of sight until tomorrow night. The Israeli technicians and operators will remain in the hangar with their equipment, tonight.

Parked on the ramp outside the hanger are the five USAF CV-22Bs and the MC-130P that flew in from RAF Mildenhall, yesterday afternoon. The 23rd Special Operations Squadron technicians that flew in the C-130P are working late tonight to service and prepare the Ospreys for their mission, tomorrow night.

Just as the ground crews have finished the unloading the first C-17, the second C-17B lands. The process of unloading this C-17 and the Harpy vehicles begins. Its sealed launcher/container units, battery control center trucks and technicians are also repositioned to the same hanger to be hidden until tomorrow night.

2000Z: Jomo Kenyatta Airport: Kenya

Two hours after the Kalean Air AN-74TK arrived; the Lyndon Air L-100J arrives from NAS Sigonella, as planned. It is directed to park in front of the company's hanger. Its arrival does not draw much attention. Lyndon Air has been flying into this airport for years. The government of Kenya and the air traffic controllers are familiar with this aircraft.

Nevertheless, Colonel Raymond and his team will stay in the aircraft tonight and out of sight. The company's ground crew begins to unload the normal cargo shipment and the Israeli's equipment into the hanger.

The ground crew brings some sandwiches, soft drinks and bottled water supplies to the aircraft for the Israelis. After the crew finishes unloading the cargo and equipment, Colonel Raymond and his men settle down to get some rest. The Lyndon Air flight crew packs up their gear and is transported to the company's secured compound in Nairobi. A company Chevrolet Suburban with armed American guards is used to transport the pilots and crew. This is to make sure that no one interferes or comes in contact with the aircraft's crews until this mission is completed.

2200Z: White House: Washington, DC

"Mr. President, we have information about the IRGC Commander of Natanz. His name is Colonel Behnam Radan. It seems that he is a very loyal career military officer but his loyalties may not be with the present Islamic Revolutionary regime. Our psychologists have done a study of the information that we have about Colonel Radan. He comes from a military family and his father, was a career Iranian Army officer, who was loyal to the Shah of Iran. His father was executed during the purge because he would not renounce his loyalty to the Shah and pledge his loyalty to the Islamic Revolutionary Republic," states the Director of the CIA.

The President and General Franklin are listening to the Director's report. Both men are wondering how all this will play into the situation at Natanz. The General is wondering if this officer is sending the Americans a message.

The CIA Director continues, "The son did pledge his allegiance but has not involved himself in politics of the IRGC. As you know, the IRGC is very influential in all aspects of Iranian society. Radan served on the front lines during the Iran-Iraq War and was wounded. He lost a leg but remained in the IRGC Pasdaran and became the IRGC Commander of the Natanz security ground forces. He does not have a family and lives a very quiet, austere life. Our psychologists believe that he may not be a willing participant in this kidnapping. They have studied his facial expressions during the television broadcast and conclude that this man is not a criminal. He may be waiting for the current regime to fail and for Iran to return to what it was before the revolution. Our sources at Natanz believe that Colonel Radan is a fair man and a competent leader so we have no logical explanation why he would allow his prisoners to be seen outside. Based on what we know, I believe that he is sending us a message that the Israelis have not been moved, yet."

President Fenner says to General Franklin, "Notify the other Chiefs of Staff that Operation Final Notice is a go. I will call the Prime Minister, immediately to give him this latest information."

General Franklin confirms with President Fenner that he will issue the final orders to attack. He thanks the Director and leaves for his car to take him back to the Pentagon. During the ride, he calls Admiral Rogers, General Taylor, Vice Admiral Delker and General Williamson.

It is midnight in Tel Aviv when President Fenner calls Prime Minister Yadin. The Israeli Prime Minister is still awake and conferring with the Minister of Defense and the Director of Mossad.

"Mr. Prime Minister, I am calling to advise you of some evidence that we received that may indicate that your engineers are still being held at the Natanz facility. We received pictures of a group of twenty-four men dressed in worker's jumpsuits being guarded while they were outside of the underground buildings. We believe that these men are your engineers. I have issued the final orders to attack the Natanz and Fordo nuclear enrichment facilities and proceed with the rescue. I am also sending a copy of a psychological workup of the commander at Natanz. It seems that he may be sending us a message that your men are still at Natanz. He has to know that our satellites are watching Natanz. " President Fenner says.

"Mr. President, thank you for that information. The people of Israel and I are very grateful for your support and loyalty. I will have our intelligence experts review the information that you are sending. Thank you very much, Mr. President," replies the Prime Minister and hangs up.

The Prime Minister turns to Defense Minister Gadi and the Director of Mossad Amat and says, "The Americans have verified our information. Send the final go ahead to Colonel Raymond and your agents in Tehran. If the Americans report about the Iranian Commander of Natanz has some important information, send it also. Give the final orders to the Air Force and Army to prepare for retaliation from Iran for our attacks on Natanz and the other nuclear facilities."

Director Amat tells the Prime Minister, "Our agents received this same information from their sources inside Natanz. The engineers were allowed outside to exercise. They have also found a military truck park at the Kashan Airport that is located about twenty-five km from Natanz. They are going to steal a military truck from there to transport Colonel Raymond and his men from the drop zone."

2200Z: Sakhir Air Base: Kingdom of Bahrain

The visibility is decreasing due to a sand storm that is approaching from the east. The USAF Boeing 747-400F YAL-1A (Airborne Laser) makes the approach and lands at the military base located in the center of the island nation. It exits the runway and taxis to the ramp behind the "Follow Me" truck. The US Navy has a ground crew from the US Naval Support Activity base standing by to secure the aircraft for the night. They rush to get the protective covers on the engines and on the sensitive areas of the ABL (Airborne Laser) system and the infrared sensors. The sand storm has moved into the area from across the Gulf and will hopefully pass through before tomorrow night.

The ABL was designed to be used against tactical ballistic missiles (TBM) launches. The infrared sensors are used for initial detection of the missile in the boost stage. Then a smaller laser will calculate the distance and trajectory of the launched missile. Once the computers have this information, the main laser is shot at the missile. It heats the skin of the missile for about three to four seconds causing it to fail and the missile to self destruct itself. The main laser of YAL-1A is fueled for approximately twenty shots before it has to land and refuel the laser, again.
Chapter 17

Day 7: 0630 Z: Whiteman Air Force Base, Missouri

Sixty-five miles southeast of Kansas City is the sprawling Whiteman Air Force Base. It is the home of seventeen of the USAF B-2A Spirit bombers. Another B-2A is located at Edwards Air Force Base in California. It is involved in a testing program.

The B-2A stealth bomber does not operate from any other base in the world. It will sometimes operate temporarily from a "forward operating location" as it did during the Second Gulf War. The unique handling requirements and the secrecy of its missions require that the B-2A flies to and from its target(s) from Whiteman AFB. The missions are long and very tedious for the crews that fly the B-2A Spirit.

To accomplish these lengthy mission assignments, multiple aerial refueling must be accomplished during the day and night. A lot of coordination with the 305th Air Mobility Wing from Joint Base McGuire-Dix will be required to accomplish the seven thousand, five hundred nautical mile mission to Iran and then return to Whiteman AFB.

Inside their special hangers, two B-2A bombers have been loaded with eight: AGM-154A-1 JSOW (Joint Stand-off Weapons) into one of the two internal bomb bays. In the other bomb bay, four Advanced Anti-Radiation Guided Missiles (AGM-88E AARGM) are loaded on a specially modified Rotary Launcher Assembly.

It's a beautiful sunny day in central Kansas; surface temperature is seventy-two degrees with a light wind out of the North. Major Rick Stabler, aircraft commander of the lead bomber has received his final orders to attack Natanz and Qom from his commander, Brigadier General Van Kepler.

Major Stabler's B-2A will lead the attack on the anti-aircraft batteries at the nuclear enrichment facilities at Natanz and the early warning and anti-aircraft radar sites at Isfahan. The other B-2A is under the command of Lt. Colonel Warren Bradley will attack the anti-aircraft batteries at the Fordo nuclear facility and the anti-aircraft batteries located near Noushabad. Both Major Stabler and Colonel Bradley are veterans of Operation Enduring Freedom.

The first two aircraft will depart about two hours ahead of the second flight of two B-2As. The bomber's flight plan will take them across the United States, out over the Atlantic Ocean above of the North Atlantic Oceanic tracks to avoid any commercial trans-Atlantic airline traffic. They will cross over Lajes in the Azores with an in flight refueling over the Mediterranean Sea before entering Turkish airspace. They plan to return by a northern route and refuel again over the North Sea between Scotland and Iceland. These are not the most efficient routes but they will avoid any transatlantic traffic and the Central European airspace.

The other two B-2A Spirit stealth bombers are each being loaded with the twenty foot long; precision guided thirty thousand pound Massive Ordnance Penetrator (MOP): GBU-57 A/B. They will fly the same routes as the first two B-2As but will arrive over Natanz and the Fordo facility after the first B-2As and the Israeli UCAVs have destroyed the Iranian Air Defense Forces anti-aircraft radar and batteries.

The ground shakes and the rumble from the four General Electric F-118-GE-100 turbo-fan engines can be felt as the stealth bombers accelerate and lift off for their fourteen hour flight to Iran. The flight crews know that they will be going up against the most advanced integrated anti-aircraft defense system in the Middle East. These aircraft have never been up against the Russian S-300 anti-aircraft system but feel confident that they can defeat its detection/acquisition and tracking radar with their aircraft's stealth characteristics.

"Spirit 101, climb to and maintain Flight Level 450," the Departure Controller says, "Contact Kansas City Center, UHF 384 or124.1. Have a good flight."

"Roger, UHF 384, Good Day," replies Major Stabler. Major Stabler contacts Kansas City Center and checks in. Things are quite busy during the climb to altitude but will settle down for the long flight tonight. He thinks about what they will face tonight and the men that are depending on him and his airplane. He switches from the VHF to UHF radio and calls the Center Controller.

"Kansas City Center, Spirit 101, on UHF 384, climbing to FL450," says Major Stabler.

"Roger, Spirit 101, Loud and Clear, maintain FL 450," replies the Kansas City Center Controller.

When the Spirit 101 flight gets leveled off at FL450, Major Stabler rechecks the B-2A's Flight Management System (FMS) computer to make sure that the ETA (estimated time of arrival) at Natanz will be exactly 2030Z. Once the FMS has been updated, it will send the newly calculated data for the required power settings to the engine computers and autothrottles.

0730Z: Jomo Kenyatta Airport: Kenya

Colonel Raymond and his men have been served a big breakfast in the hanger. They moved inside at 0600Z and began arranging their equipment and supplies inside the An-74TK. The rear ramp is opened and they are rehearsing their exit out the rear ramp of the aircraft. Then they put on the one point eight meters wide Gryphon wing pack to become comfortable with their movement in this aircraft. This dress rehearsal is very important since these men have never jumped from the An-74TK and want to be as familiar as possible. The engine's noise and wind will make speaking in the aircraft almost impossible so Colonel Raymond conducts his briefing, now.

Colonel Raymond advises, "I will exit the aircraft first, and each man after me will jump to the left or the right of the previous man. It is as we practiced in the C-130 so make sure that you do not get in the wake turbulence of the person in front of you. We will attempt to make our drop zone at this dry riverbed that is located just west of the compound on this secondary road. This target is just south of the main highway that goes from Natanz to Kashan." He points to a satellite photo that shows the intended drop zone.

He points to the riverbed. "We will use this riverbed to approach the nuclear facility if our agents are not able to pick us up with a commandeered military truck."

"Depending on our groundspeed, we will try to get as close to this riverbed as you can. There is a petro stop on the highway about one and a half km northwest from our drop zone. We should be able to see it and the road as we approach our drop zone. It lies at the base of the Karkas Mountains. We will make our approach from the northwest to stay away from the mountains. So we should glide right over the petro stop. Set your GPS to N33.73.07, E51.69.57. Attempt to land on the east side of this road. If we are not able to make it to the riverbed, our transponders will be able to locate each other. And as a backup, in case your GPS is damaged; go to the petro stop on the highway. That is where our agents will be waiting for our call. As soon as you land, dig a hole and bury the wing pack and make your way to this position. This road leads to the highway and petro stop, if you get separated."

"OK, check your radios and weapons, now, one last time, and then pack them in your wing. We have done this jump many times before so that part will not be new. Do you have any questions?" asks Colonel Raymond.

As the men are checking their equipment, the Captain of the An-74TK, walks up to Colonel Raymond and hands him a message that he just received. "Colonel, when you get a moment; will you come up to the cockpit. I have received both flight plans and would like to review them with you," says the Captain of the Antonov.

Colonel Raymond reads the message and calls his men together. It is a message from the IDF Headquarters. "Our agents will be waiting at the petro stop near the drop zone. It looks like everything is set. OK, let's get ready to leave," says Colonel Raymond. His men give him a nod of approval and board the aircraft.

Colonel Raymond goes up to the cockpit to check the flight plans. He comes back to the cargo area and tells his team that flight plans look good and they will have favorable tail winds for their glide into the drop zone. That should easily get them to the position that they have planned on.

The pilots complete their pre flight duties and the Radio Operator comes back and closes the ramp. He returns to the cockpit and tells the Captain that the cargo area is secure. The Captain gives the ground crew the thumbs up signal and the doors to the hanger are opened. The aircraft tug operator pushes the AN-74TK out of the hanger and waits for the signal to disconnect. The Captain sets the parking brake and gives the signal to disconnect the tug and tow bar. The ground crew pulls the landing gear safety pins and displays them to the Captain.

There is a light rain falling this morning as it does so often on the high plains in Kenya. The winds are light with a scattered layer of clouds at one thousand, five hundred feet and broken clouds at eight thousand feet. The temperature is nineteen degrees C, which is good for the performance of the Antonov at this altitude and take-off weight.

0830Z: Jomo Kenyatta Airport: Kenya

"Kenyatta Ground Control, Kalean Air request engine start-up and ATC clearance," requests the Antonov's Radio Operator with a Russian accent. He will use this accent all day since their flight plan will take them to Tbilisi, Georgia.

"Kalean Air, Kenyatta Ground; Start up approved, QNH 1006 using Runway 06. Stand by for ATC," says the Ground Controller.

The Ground Controller calls Nairobi Control to verify the flight plan approval and departure time coordination. Since some dollars were exchanged early that morning, there is no problem getting a clearance out of Kenya's airspace. The biggest problem will come from the Mogadishu's Air Traffic Controllers. But it won't present too much problem since Somalia does not have an air force. The pilots just hope that the Russian engines do not develop any problems over Somalia's airspace. They do not want to divert to any airport there.

The Captain and First Officer begin the starting sequence for the AN-74TK. When the Captain completes the engine start, he asks the Radio Operator to request a taxi clearance to Runway 06.

Just then the Kenyatta Ground Control calls.

"Kalean Air, Kenyatta Ground, I have ATC when ready to copy," advises the Controller.

The Radio Operator replies "Go ahead, Kalean Air is ready to copy ATC."

"Kalean Air is cleared to OMFJ, flight plan route, AVITU2D, AVITU, UA405, FL 300, Squawk 4112." The First Officer confirms the route with the Captain and the Radio Operator calls the Ground Controller.

"Roger, Kalean Air cleared flight plan route, AVITU2D, AVITU, UA 405, FL300, 4112, over," reads the Radio Operator.

"Kalean Air, read back correct, taxi to holding point Runway 06," advises the Controller. "Call the Tower on 119.1."

The Captain gives the signal to the ground crew, salutes and begins to taxi. The First Officer checks his side of the aircraft and gives the Captain the all clear signal. The Captain calls for the Taxi checklists and the First Officer reads and performs the items listed.

The Radio Operator repeats the taxi clearance and calls the Tower Controller. "Kenyatta Tower, Kalean Air will be fully ready at the end of Runway 06."

The Tower Controller replies, "Kalean Air, cleared for take-off Runway 06, winds 080 at 10."

The Radio Operator reads back the clearance, "Cleared for take-off."

Colonel Raymond and his team get settled in for the six hour flight to Fujairah International Airport in the United Arab Emirates. The Antonov is a noisy aircraft and the pressurization is marginal but he tries to put these thoughts out of his mind and concentrate on the mission. After about an hour, the Colonel eases into a light sleep.

1200Z: Natanz, Iran

The Captain of the Guards has taken Yosef and the engineers outside again today. The northwest winds have been blowing the dust around today, reducing horizontal visibility and irritating the eyes and lungs of everyone that has to work outside today. Most of the workers use their smagh to cover their faces as much as they can to protect their upper respiratory systems. The Israeli engineers do not have these scarfs so they try to keep their faces turned away from the dusty wind.

Colonel Radan has decided to visit the engineers during their exercise today. He speaks to a few of the engineers and decides that it is not a good idea to have the men outside with so little protection. He gives the Captain the order to take the men back inside. He watches as the men are taken back to the entrance tunnel that leads to the underground facilities.

1230Z: RAF Mildenhall

A single USAF B-52H (call sign: Reach 56) is taxiing for departure on Runway 11. It is from the 2nd Bomb Wing based at Barksdale Air Force Base, Arkansas. It has twelve Raytheon AGM-129A Advanced Cruise Missiles on two external pylons located under its wings. This is the latest version cruise missile with stealth qualities.

The B-52's mission today and tonight will be to help destroy the Imperial Iranian Air Force bases and runways in the Iranian Western Area Command. It will also send cruise missiles to the Administration buildings at the Natanz and the Fordo nuclear facility.

The AGM-129 ACM has a 2000 mile range, so the B-52 does not have to expose itself to the Iranian Air Defense Forces anti-aircraft batteries. It can just "shoot and forget" over Turkey.

1300Z: Tehran, Iran

In an apartment in Tehran, the two Mossad Metsada agents are getting prepared to leave. They will be driving south on Highway #7, the Tehran-Qom Freeway to Kashan Airport, located east of Kashan. They have a rented Hillman Hunter that is parked in a garage near their apartment. It should take them approximately three hours to drive to Kashan.

The highway to Kashan is like most highways in the Middle East. There are just a few toll booths and very few police. But to be on the safe side, they have hidden their handguns in the car. They were able to acquire these handguns from their contacts in Iran.

During their previous trips to Kashan, the agents have found that the IRGC has made a temporary military truck park there. Their plan is to wait till it gets dark then steal a military truck and a couple of Artesh uniforms and dump the Hillman. Then they will drive to the petro stop and wait for Colonel Raymond to call them from the drop zone.

The agents leave their apartment, separately, and walk towards the rented garage. One walks ahead and the other agent is following at a distance to see if the other agent is being followed. It is a technique that they use to watch for any MOIS agents. One of the Israelis agents will get the car, while the other watches and waits. If anything does not look good, he will call the other agent and they will abandon the mission. That is why Lt. Colonel Raymond has a backup plan.

1430Z: Fujairah International Airport: UAE

On the southeast coast of the United Arab Emirates is the city of Fujairah. Unlike the other major cities in the UAE, Fujairah is located on the Gulf of Oman. The International Airport has a major air cargo facility with various air freight aircraft from all over the world. Most of the air freight in this part of the world is carried in old, cheap Russian built aircraft. Most of this freight is hauled to and from the third world countries of Africa and Central Asia.

At the end of Runway 11, on the southeast side of the airfield is an overflow ramp for the freighter aircraft. The Antonov AN-74TK of Kalean Airways fits in well on the ramp and does not draw any attention from the airport authority or any of the other low budget freight haulers that occupy the ramp space there.

As the AN-74TK taxis into its assigned parking position, a Toyota van and a fuel truck arrive. A Pakistani man steps out of the van with paperwork in his hands and walks over to the fuel truck. He is the handler for this flight. He was screened and hired by the company that operates this aircraft. He speaks to the man in the fuel truck and the fueling process begins.

The pilots finish their shutdown procedures and the Captain gets out of his seat to open the front passenger door. Colonel Raymond and his team stay very quiet as the aircraft is being fueled. This freighter's cargo will not be inspected and no one will leave or board the aircraft except the Captain. He walks over to the handler and signs for the fuel and takes the paperwork for the next leg of the flight. The Captain looks over the flight plan and stands by while the fuel truck operator completes the refueling.

After the refueling is completed, the Captain makes sure that the refueling panels are secure. He makes a walk around inspection of the aircraft. When he is satisfied, he gives the Pakistani man the thumbs up and boards the aircraft. He closes the door and asks Colonel Raymond to come to the cockpit to check out the route for the flight to Tbilisi.

"Colonel, it will be two hours and fifteen minutes to DISEL intersection. How much time do you need to prepare before your jump?" asks the Captain.

"We will need about thirty minutes notice to get our equipment ready and begin prebreathing our oxygen. We would like to start depressurizing the cargo area about fifteen minutes to go and open the ramp about five minutes before reaching DISEL. This will give us time to adjust our ears and eyes. Will you give me an updated Winds Aloft report just before we reach the drop point," replies Colonel Raymond?

"Yes, as you can see by the forecasted flight plan, the winds will be from the southwest for the most part. We will keep you posted with the updates from our GPS. Do you have any questions," asks the Captain?

"No, Captain. I just want to thank you and your crew for helping us. We could not have done this without the help from your company and the United States government. Hopefully, we will meet again someday and I will be buying the beer. I will go brief my men, now," says Lt. Colonel Raymond.

"You are most welcome, Colonel Raymond, and best of luck to you. I look forward to that day and will be very happy to accept your offer. We will be departing at exactly 1615Z. If you need anything, please let me know."

1500Z: Gulf of Oman

The sun is just starting to go down over the ocean. Vice Admiral Pickett has positioned the Fifth Fleet's Carrier Strike Group One about fifty nautical miles east of Muscat, Oman. He has received the final orders to attack tonight and has passed the orders to the other commanders in the Strike Group.

Captain Sidney Jenkins is preparing to give a battle briefing to his Executive Officer and his Staff. They have assembled in the Executive Officer's Briefing room.

"Gentleman, Admiral Pickett has received the final orders to begin the attacks. We have been assigned to attack the anti-aircraft radar and surface to air missile sites at Bandar Abbas, Jast and Chabahar. I am assigning the EA-18Gs "Growlers" from VAQ-132 to destroy these sites. They will be escorted by the F/A18E/F "Hornets" from VFA-66 and VFA-17. Admiral Pickett has ordered our X-47B UCAV squadron to attack the IRGC Navy fleet that is operating about sixty nautical miles to the northeast of us. They have their missile Frigates Alvand and Velayat with ten Houdong class missile crafts following them. They are armed with the Chinese C-802 Anti-Ship Surface to Surface Missiles and the "Ghader" cruise missile. We need our three X-47Bs to use its stealth to destroy as many of these vessels as we can before they can launch those missiles at us. Are there any questions?"

No one has any questions since they have been training for this day for a long time. Captain Jenkins states, "This is not an exercise. Gentleman, this is the real thing. So get back to your commands and prepare to launch at 2010Z. Ok, let's break for mess and brief your commands. Our final briefing will be at 1930Z. We will meet here at that time." The officers stand and salute as Captain Jenkins leaves.

There is very little conversations as the officers leave to assemble their commands. The mood is almost somber because each commander knows that this action is going to change the world and their lives. This is their job and they must do as they have trained. They will be depending on their ability to surprise the Iranians to minimize their losses. They leave to have their dinner and prepare for the battle briefings.

1615Z: Fujairah International Airport, UAE

"Fujairah Ground Control, Kalean Air, request engine start up," requests the Radio Operator.

"Kalean Air, start up approved, visibility 3000, winds 130/10, QNH 1012, Runway 11," replies the Ground Controller.

The Captain signals to the handler that he is ready to start his engines. The handler gives the Captain the all clear signal to start engine number two. He holds up one hand with two index fingers and rotates the other hand. He repeats the signal for the number one engine by holding one finger up this time. After the engines are started, the Captain gives the signal to pull the chocks that are holding the wheels. The Handler puts the chocks in his van and waves goodbye. The Captain calls for the after engine start checklist from the First Officer and asks the Radio Operator to call for a taxi clearance.

"Fujairah Ground, Kalean Air requests taxi and ATC."

"Roger, Kalean Air, taxi to holding point Runway 11. Kalean Air is cleared to UGTB, DARAX1N, DARAX, N440 MOBON, Flight Level 300, squawk 2887," says the Ground Controller.

The Radio Operator reads back the clearance and the Ground Controller says, "Contact the Tower on 118.2."

"Roger, 118.2," replies the Radio Operator.

The Captain and First Officer also make note of the clearance and verify that it is the same as is on their flight plan.

Before beginning the taxi to Runway 11, the Captain turns to the Radio Operator and says, "Once we are airborne, contact the Iranian ADIZ (Air Defense Identification Zone) and I will talk to Fujairah Tower and Dubai Radar. We will be in the Iranian airspace in ten minutes after we take-off." The Captain turns back around and calls for the Taxi Checklist and adds power to begin rolling.

The First Officer completes the checklist and the Captain tells the Radio Operator to call Fujairah Tower and tell them that, "we are ready for take-off."

"Fujairah Tower, Kalean Air is fully ready for take-off," advises the Radio Operator.

"Line up and wait, Runway 11, awaiting ATC coordination with Dubai Radar," says the Tower Controller.

A few moments later, the Fujairah Tower Controller clears the Kalean Air AN-74TK for take-off. The Captain relinquishes the aircraft controls to the First Officer and says, "You have the aircraft and I have the radio."

The First Officer adds take-off power and the AN-74TK begins rolling down the runway.

The Captain is monitoring the engine instruments and airspeed indicator. When the airspeed indicator reads 120 km, he calls, "V1 (decision speed)."

The First Officer takes his left hand off the throttle and puts it on the control wheel. When the Captain calls "Rotate", the First Officer begins to pull back on the control wheel and the nose gear lifts off the runway and the aircraft begins to climb.

The Tower Controller calls, "Kalean Air, contact Dubai Radar, 134.85, have a nice flight."

The Captain replies, "Roger, 134.85. Ma'asalama."

"Ma'asalama", replies the Tower Controller.

"OK, contact Tehran ADIZ and I will call Dubai Radar," says the Captain.

"Dubai Radar, Kalean Air, is airborne off of Fujairah, climbing to altitude three thousand, squawk 2887."

"Roger, Kalean Air, radar identified, climb to Flight Level 150, turn right, direct to DARAX, contact Emirates Control 112.4," instructs Dubai Radar.

"Roger, cleared to Flight Level 150, direct DARAX, Emirates Control on 112.4, Ma'asalama," the Captain reads back and switches the radio frequency.

"Emirates Control, Kalean Air, climbing to Flight Level 150," advises the Captain.

"Roger, Kalean Air, climb to and maintain Flight Level 300," replies Emirates Control.

"Kalean Air, climb to Flight Level 300," reads back the Captain.

The Radio Operator has tuned in Tehran ADIZ on the number two radio and is informing the Iranian Air Traffic Controller of the Antonov's position, speaking with a Russian accent, "Tehran ADIZ, Kalean Air, climbing to Flight Level 300, direct DARAX, estimating MOBON at 1625, squawk 2887."

"Roger, Kalean Air, Tehran ADIZ, radar identified, you are cleared into Tehran ADIZ, maintain Flight Level 300. Contact Tehran on 135.12, when released by Emirates Control," replies Tehran ADIZ.

"Roger, maintain Flight Level 300, 135.12, when released, Kalean Air," the Radio Operator reads back.

The Captain has been monitoring the number two radio and calls Emirates Control, "Emirates Control, Kalean Air, radio contact with Tehran ADIZ, request release."

"Kalean Air, Emirates Control, you are released, contact Tehran Control, 135.12, Ma'asalama," replies Emirates Control.

"Roger, Tehran on135.12, Ma'asalama," reads back the Captain. He turns to the Radio Operator and advises him that he has the radios and to contact Tehran Control.

The Radio Operator takes over primary communications for the flight, now. In his best Russian accent, he calls Tehran Control, "Tehran Control, Kalean Air, climbing to Flight Level 300, direct DARAX, estimating MOBON at 1625, squawk 2887."

The Tehran air traffic controller for the Southern District replies, "Roger Kalean Air, cleared flight plan route, maintain Flight Level 300."

"Roger, Tehran, maintain Flight Level 300," reads back the Radio Operator.

The Captain says to no one in particular, "Good, so far so good!"

1630Z: Joint Base Balad

Inside the hanger where the Harop and Harpy Killer Drones were stored last night; the Israeli technicians are making the final preparations for their launch. The technicians are programming the UCAVs to loiter over the Iranian airspace from Isfahan to Qom. The latest US Air Force satellite intelligence photos indicate that this is where the mobile S-300PMU-1, the TOR-M1E and Pantsir-S1 mobile surface to air missile sites have been sighted. The UCAV's mission will be to destroy as many of these anti-aircraft radar sites and batteries as they can before the USAF and Israeli planes arrive.

The Harop operators will be watching for the mobile S-300 batteries. These are the most lethal to the stealth aircraft. If they can find an S-300 battery, the Harop will loiter until it turns on its radar or 2030Z, whichever happens, first? The Harpy Drones will be waiting for the TOR-M1E and Pantsir-S1 to turn on their arrayed radar units and then attack.

Captain Hart, the CV-22B crews and Captain Ray's Delta Force "B" Squadron have assembled in a remote area of the hanger to review their plans. Captain Ray has worked with the 23rd Special Operations Squadron before and knows the crew members. He has the highest regard for these pilots and crews and is confident that they will get his men to and from Natanz as safely as possible.

Lt. Colonel Erikson has sent the latest intelligence reports and the proposed flight plan route to Captain Hart. Captain Hart is speaking to the men and explaining the mission's specifics.

"Gentlemen, we are going to take an indirect and longer route into Iran to avoid the scattered early warning surveillance radar sites. Flight time is calculated at just less than one and a half hours. The Iranians will be looking for an attack to come from the northern side of the Karkas Mountains. That is where they have concentrated most of their air defenses. We will fly on the southwest side and cross over the mountains through a pass just southeast of the city of Natanz. We will approach the nuclear facility from that direction. Two ships will approach the helicopter pads inside the compound for the insertion of Captain Ray's team. These two ships will be designated as ships 1 and 2. Captain Ray and his men will fast rope off the rear ramps. Then these two ships will depart the helipad while the Delta boys secure the area for Lt. Colonel Raymond and the engineers. When Lt. Colonel Raymond calls, three ships will approach the helipads for the extraction. These aircraft will land. This will be our most vulnerable and difficult time. The other two ships (designated 4&5) will act as support and backup in case anything happens to the first three. The landing area will be dusty, visibility will be minimal and we will probably be taking fire. Be extremely alert, stay out of range of their small arms and watch for their shoulder fired missiles. Flight crews, you have your routes to load into your FMS. We will exit Natanz by the same route that we will use on the way in. We will be departing at 1900Z. Stay low, follow the terrain and maintain radio silence unless absolutely necessary. Do you have any questions?"

No one answers so he nods to Captain Ray. "Ok, check your equipment one more time and get something to eat," says Captain Hart. He waits for his men to disperse. Captain Ray and the two Israeli commandos come over.

"Stan, we will be able to get you to Natanz but getting to the helipad is going to be the problem. I am sure that we will have to come in hot. Hopefully, the B-2s and the drones will take care of most of the anti-aircraft batteries around the compound," Captain Hart says.

"Maybe the aerial attack will make them keep their heads down as we approach the helipads. If not, we have a backup plan," says Captain Ray.

He turns to the Israelis, "men, we are going to have a window of only about 5-10 minutes at most in the area before the Iranians IRGC can get mobilized. I hope that your commander will be waiting with the engineers."

Both men nod. They understand how precise this operation has to be and know that Lt. Colonel Raymond is an expert at being precise and on time.

1700Z: Incirlik Air Base, Turkey

At Incirlik Air Base, on the north side of the field, twelve F-22A Raptor fighter jets are parked in hardened shelters being prepared for their mission tonight. Each aircraft is being armed with eight precision guided: GBU-40 SDB (Small Diameter Bombs). These are the newest version SBD bombs that have a thermal seeker and radar with automatic target recognition for tracking mobile targets. With the deployable wings, the Raptors are able to release the bombs up to fifty miles away from their targets.

American satellite intelligence photos have indicated that the Iranians have moved most of their fighter squadrons to the Western Command to defend their nuclear facilities.

The F-22's mission will be to prevent the Iranian Air Force from interfering with the rescue operation and the eventual bombing of the Natanz and other nuclear facilities. They will also have to destroy the six JY-14 surveillance radar sites and their anti-aircraft batteries. The destruction of the runways of the Imperial Iranian air bases in the Western Area Command will be the job for the B-52 launched cruise missiles and USAF F-15E and F-16s from Joint Base Balad. It is not the intent of the United States or Israel to inflict harm on the Iranian people or their infrastructure.

There are forty-one active SAM (surface to air missile) sites in the Islamic Republic of Iran. The Iranian Air Defense forces has scattered their radar and launch sites, mostly in the western and southern regions. There is not much overlapping of the coverage. They have instituted a point defense mode to protect key installations like air bases, port/coastal installations, oil facilities, and nuclear facilities.

The Mehrabad Air Base and the Imperial Iranian Air Force Headquarters at Doshan-Teppeh Air Base are located near Tehran. These bases will be heavily defended with the older Sayyad 1, a Chinese supplied HQ-2 (Hongqi-2) medium to high altitude surface to air missile; the Ghareh, an upgraded S-200, a Russian supplied long range strategic surface to air missile; the Mersad (Ambush), a reversed engineered Raytheon Hawk surface to air missile system with the "Skyguard" (pulse band search and tracking radar system) and dozens of Swiss made Super Fledermaus (FC) radar guided GDF-002 with 35mm anti aircraft cannons. Two F-22A fighters are assigned to these bases.

The other five F-22 fighter teams have been assigned to the Vahdati Air Base at Dezful with the Mersad surface to air missiles, Shahrokhi Air Base at Hamadan with the Mersad and Ghareh SAMs, Tabriz Air Base with Mersad SAMs, Khatami Air Base at Isfahan with the Sayyad and the Mersad, and Sayyad, possibly the Ghareh and TOR-M1E surface to air missiles at Omidiyeh Air Base. These air bases will also have numerous GDF-002 units and countless numbers of Russian made SA-7 and possibly the newest SA-24 Man- Portable Air Defense Systems (MANPADS) located in their vicinity.

The Raptors will also be armed with two AIM-9 M/X and two AIM-120C AMRAAMS missiles. If any Iranian Air Force aircraft are able to get airborne, the Raptors have their air to air missiles and a Vulcan 22mm cannon to fight with. These pilots are relying on their stealth, maneuvering and the E-3C AWACS to destroy the Iranian Air Force's ability to defend their airspace against the Israeli and American bombings.

If any of the enemy's fighters or cruise missiles is able to slip through the "outer zone", the AESA (Active Electronically Steered Arrays) equipped F-15C, F-16C/D and F/A-18E/F fighters will be ready to attack. Like the F/A-22A, these F-15s, F-16s and F-18s will be carrying the improved AIM-120D AMRAAM radar guided air to air missiles.

On the other side of the field, the two KC-10 Extender tankers and an E-3C Sentry AWACS is parked and being readied for departure. The E-3C AWACS pilots are calling for their taxi clearance and ATC clearance to Riyadh, Saudi Arabia (at least that is the destination listed on its IATA flight plan). This AWACS has been designated as the airborne warning and battle control management for the USAF fighters, cruise missiles and Captain Hart's CV-22 Ospreys. It will depart ahead of the fighters and tankers so that it can be in position over Iraq when the bombing starts.

The E-3C Sentry will fly south down the same airway that the commercial airliners use. It will proceed towards Kuwait and then turn southwest towards Saudi Arabia. Once it is out of Iranian ATC radar coverage it will rejoin the airway northbound. By this time the F-22 and B-2As should be making their approach to Iranian airspace. A couple of F-16E/F fighters from Joint Base Balad will join the AWACS on its way back north to provide protection on its flight over Iraq, tonight.
Chapter 18

1800Z: AN-74TK at FL300: Iran

"Go tell Lt. Colonel Raymond that we are thirty minutes from DISEL intersection. In ten minutes, we will start to slowly depressurize the aircraft. Be sure to take your portable oxygen bottle with you," the Captain says to the Radio Operator.

He turns back to the First Officer and tells him to put his oxygen mask on and he does the same. Each pilot tests their masks and its radio microphone.

The Radio Operator goes back to the cargo area and gives Colonel Raymond the thumbs up. This is the signal to let him know to start using their wing's personal high altitude oxygen system. The "Batmen" have already put on their black insulated jumpsuits, black Gryphon wings, gloves and helmet with oxygen masks.

Colonel Raymond does not have his "wing" on yet. He will personally check each of his men's equipment before he gets himself ready. As he performs each pre-flight inspection, he speaks to each jumper through his communications system with a bone resonance microphone to make sure that each man's radio system is operating properly.

Each commando is wearing an altimeter on their left wrist and the GPS/PDA on his right wrist that is integrated into their helmet's HUD (heads up display). Colonel Raymond makes sure that each GPS is reading the same altitude as the aircraft and that the GPS is updating their present location.

As the aircraft starts to slowly depressurize, the noise increases and their ears begin to pop. The men use swallowing exercises to equalize the pressures between the inner and outer ear. Lt. Colonel Raymond lines up the six men and has each person check the back of the person in front of him. Colonel Raymond will check the front and back of the last man. After he is finished checking all of the men, he puts his wing on and the man behind him double checks the Colonel's equipment.

The Radio Operator is observing all this and calls the Captain on the aircraft interphone. "Captain, Lt. Colonel Raymond and his men are ready."

The Antonov Captain replies, "Good, at 1824Z, open the rear ramp and stand by the interphone. Time, now, is 1815Z. I will give the signal for them to jump at thirty seconds before we arrive at DISEL intersection."

"Roger, I will open the rear ramp at 1824Z," replies the Radio Operator.

1800Z: Kashan County Airport, Iran

It is a moonless night over Iran and the wind is blowing slightly out of the east. The remains of the sand storm that occurred earlier today have obscured the visibility to about two kilometers. It is still quite dusty so there is not much incentive to be walking around outside. The sentries that are at the main gate to the airport are trying to stay protected as much as possible. They don't seem to be anxious to come out of their guard shack unless a truck needs to enter or exit the airport. This is good news for the two Israeli agents sitting in the Hillman a couple of kilometers from the road that leads into the airport. It seems a fairly quiet night around the airport with only a few trucks arriving or leaving.

The agents watch for a while. A Mercedes military truck is leaving the airport and stops at the main gate. The sentry does not come out of the guard house this time. He just waves the driver through. The truck turns left onto the road towards Natanz. As the truck passes the Hillman, the agents look into the cab and see that there is only a driver seated there. They decide to follow this one so they wait until it is almost out of sight. The driver starts the engine of the Hillman while the other agent climbs into the back seat to get their weapons and satellite telephone from under the back seat.

They are following behind the truck at a safe distance. About two kilometers down the road is a secondary road that leads to Highway 7, the Kashan-Natanz Highway. There is not much traffic on this road at this time of night. The truck turns right onto this road and the agents follow. The agents decide to make their move before the truck gets to Highway 7.

They speed up and pass the truck and try to get as far as they can down the road. About one and a half kilometers down the road is a little village. They drive pass this community and stop in the middle of the road. One of the agents lies down in the middle of the road and the other one prepares to flag down the truck.

The truck approaches and sees the Hillman in the middle of the road with the agent waving his arms. The truck driver slows down but is a little confused about what is happening here. He had just observed this car pass him about two kilometers back. But he sees the other person lying in the road and it looks like an accident so he decides to stop and help.

The agent approaches the truck and starts explaining that he accidently hit this man that was walking in the road. "He just walked out in front of me. I tried to avoid him but he must be drunk. I think that he is still alive but needs to go to the hospital. Can you help me," pleads the Israeli agent in Farsi.

The truck driver looks at the man in the road and reaches for his cell phone that is on the seat. The Israeli agent pulls out his Sig Sauer 22LR with a silencer and shoots the truck driver in the head. The driver slumps in the seat and the agent climbs into the truck as the other agent gets off the road and into the Hillman. The whole scene took only 1 minute and they are on their way.

They continue down the road and cross under the Highway 7 "flyover". The road becomes a desolate dirt road except for a few houses that are very scattered about off the road. When they find a secluded stretch of the road they pull over to the side. They take the soldier out of the cab of the truck and one of the agents takes the uniform off the dead soldier. The other agent removes his clothes and puts on the uniform. They dress the dead soldier in the agent's clothes and put him in the trunk of the Hillman. This action takes about ten minutes and then they turn the truck and Hillman around and drive back to Highway 7 and to the petro stop, where they will wait for Colonel Raymond's call.

1829Z: DISEL Intersection: FL300: Iran

Colonel Raymond and the "Batmen" stand silently in the minus twenty-five degrees Celsius, darken cargo hold of the AN-74TK, looking out of the rear of the aircraft. They are waiting for the signal from the Captain to jump. The noise from open ramp and the intense cold is trying to hamper the mental concentration of the men. Everyone is thinking about the exit jump and gaining control of the Gryphon wing after the initial tumbling from the wake turbulence of the Antonov. They are also thinking about how to avoid flying into the slipstream of the jumper in front of them so that their wing does not lose its lift. At night, these maneuvers are that much harder to accomplish than during the day.

Suddenly, the red light in the cargo hold comes on and Lt. Colonel Raymond is the first one to jump off the ramp and then he dives to the right. The Gryphon carbon fiber wing and Lt. Colonel Raymond take a tumble after exiting the aircraft. It seems like an eternity before the wing's stabilization system is able to get the nose pointed downward and wings leveled to begin gliding. Lt. Colonel Raymond then steers the wing on an initial heading of 085 degrees. He puts his feet together to make his "aircraft" more aerodynamic and then checks his GPS and altimeter. He compares this information with what he is reading on his helmet's heads up display. It checks out. He begins to make a few small corrections to his heading based on the information from his GPS. He feels good that his systems are operating properly and he begins to think about his men. He can't look back to see if the other members of his team are following him but he knows from previous experience that the "Batmen" are right there.

As he begins to get his bearings, he begins to see the lights of the Natanz compound starting to come into view. He is descending on a five to one glide ratio with a tailwind so he is moving quickly toward the landing area. As he descends through fifteen thousand feet, Colonel Raymond begins to see Highway 7 and the petro stop. With just a few small corrections and he is able to see the road that he is planning to land nearby. It is located south of the petro stop.

As he descends through six thousand feet, he begins to make a right turn just over the petro stop to line up on the road going south from the highway. By the time that he gets lined up on the road, he is starting to think about deploying his parachute. At two thousand, five hundred feet, Colonel Raymond pulls his ripcord that releases his black TW9-340G parachute. As his chute is beginning to fill, he releases the buckles that are holding the wing to his harness and lets it drop about twenty-five feet below him. A few moments later, Colonel Raymond can see the dry river bed and steers his parachute towards that area. He knows that his men are following his lead. The horizon is well lighted from the lights of nuclear enrichment compound. He touches down on the soft sand and begins the process of disconnecting the wing and gathering his chute. He has pulled his Glock 17 from his tactical thigh rig and is looking around the area for any unwanted visitors. His men are starting to land around him and are following the same routine. It looks like everyone is accounted for and in good condition.

Colonel Raymond retrieves his Tavor assault rifle with night vision scope from his wing's cargo compartment and begins looking through the scope, scanning the area to see if anyone saw their arrival. He assigns another man with night vision goggles to take up a position down the road to give an advance warning of any visitors. His other men begin to unload their weapons and supplies from their wing's compartments. They remove their black jumpsuits. Their Iranian IRGC Army uniforms are underneath. The process of disposing of their wings, jumpsuits and parachutes will take about ten minutes and then they will be ready for the truck to come pick them up.

1830Z: Joint Base Balad

In a large field northwest of the base's two runways, the countdown sequence has begun at the Israeli Harop UCAV battery: the munitions unit, mission control shelter and the launcher vehicles. This remote area of the base provides the most privacy especially at this time of night. These UCAVs will be launched about seventeen minutes before the CV-22 Ospreys takeoff. The UCAV operators have programmed the Harop Killer Drones to fly directly to the Natanz and Fordo nuclear facilities and begin a patrol of the region between them.

There are three Harop UCAVs contained in the munitions unit and the operators have to load them onto the launch vehicle one at a time. Inside the mission control shelter, the operators/technicians will initiate the launch and operate the Harop's IR unit and camera. As the first Harop takes off from the launcher vehicle, the technicians begin the process of loading the next UCAV from the munitions unit to the launcher. It takes about five minutes and then the second Harop is on its way to Iran. The Harop's operators inside the mission control shelter have control of the aircraft, now, and will "fly" it to the designated patrol area.

Spread out next to the Harop batteries are the three trucks of the Harpy Air Defense Suppression System. Each truck has eighteen Harpy Radar Killer Drones, a ground control station and a logical support element. They will be launched as soon as the Harop have completed their deployments. Unlike the Harop, which has a quiet propeller driven engine to launch it, the Harpy has a rocket assisted launch from its container. It is a noisy and more spectacular but a faster operation. The night time sky around the base lights up as the Harpy UCAVs streak toward their target areas in Iran.

Some of the Harpy drones have been preprogrammed to the same route of the CV-22 Osprey, some to Natanz and Qom, some to the entry routes for the Israeli F-16i and F-15i jets and others to known or suspected early warning air defense radar sites. Once they are been launched, they will attack any enemy radar that is activated. They can discriminate between friendly radar and enemy but that is about the extent of their control.

At precisely 1850Z, the five CV-22B Ospreys taxi out to Runway 32. Things have quieted down since the launch of the UCAVs. The tower has turned off the runway lights as prearranged. Captain Hart and the other pilots are wearing their night vision goggles. He has ordered to have all the aircraft's lights extinguished except their navigation lights.

After they have received their takeoff clearance, one by one, they climb to one thousand feet then transition to the airplane/cruise mode. Captain Hart is in the lead Osprey and slowly descends back down to five hundred feet above the ground after making sure that everyone is following him and all of their systems are operating properly.

The terrain between Joint Base Balad and the Iranian frontier is basically flat, so he eases his aircraft down to two hundred feet above the ground to stay out of Iranian Air Traffic Control radar coverage. He is more concerned about the JY-14 early warning surveillance radar sites located near Dezful, Arak, Qom, Isfahan and Hamadan. He takes up an initial heading of 090 degrees to avoid these positions. The terrain does not make any significant elevation changes until the flight gets to the Karkas Mountains. When they get there, they will stay close to the southwestern side of the mountains. He is relying on his aircraft's Raytheon AN/APQ-186 terrain following and multi mode radar to keep his flight below enemy radar coverage.

1920Z: Highway 7: Petro Stop

The Mossad agent in civilian clothes is inside ordering a tea when the cell phone in his pocket starts to vibrate. He casually pays for his tea and walks out of the snack bar area of the petro concession building and pulls the cell phone out of his pocket. "Hello", he says in Farsi, in case anyone is listening to him.

Colonel Raymond replies in Farsi, "God is good." This is the signal for the Mossad agents to come with the truck. The agent replies, "God is great." He closes the phone to break the connection and walks toward the military truck where the other agent is waiting in the cab. He climbs into the passenger side and tells the driver that the commandos have arrived. The driver starts the truck and they leave the petro stop. They will pick up Lt. Colonel Raymond and his men at the designated pick up location. As they drive out of the parking lot, the agent in the passenger seat throws away the keys to the Hillman that they left at the petro stop.

Lt. Colonel Raymond gives the signal to his men to take up a defensive position in the rocks around the landing zone. He sends another man down the road with night vision goggles to guard the road with the other commando that is already there.

About ten minutes later, Lt. Colonel Raymond receives a call from his men that are about a one half kilometer up the road.

"Colonel, we have a military truck approaching," says one of the men.

"Roger, let it pass," replies Lt. Colonel Raymond. He believes that the truck is the one that the two Mossad agents are using to pick his team up. These are tense moments because he does not want to risk calling the agents on the cell phone, again. He will just have to trust his gut feelings as the truck approaches.

The truck begins to slow down and as it gets closer to their position, Lt. Colonel Raymond decides to step out from the rocks and show himself. The truck slows to a stop. Raymond is dressed in the uniform of an IRGC Captain. His men stay hidden. He has given specific orders to evade the enemy if this is a trap. He wants them to complete the mission instead of creating a firefight.

He announces in Farsi, "God is good!"

The agent driving the truck replies, "God is great!"

Lt. Colonel Raymond smiles and turns to give the all clear signal to his men. He walks around to the passenger side of the truck while his men and the other agent climb into the canvas covered bed of the truck. One of the "Batmen" pulls out an extra IRGC Army uniform and gives it to the agent to put on. He also gives the agent a spare Tavor assault rifle that was brought for him. The agent puts on the uniform and like the other "soldiers", hides his weapon out of sight.

The driver turns the vehicle around and they drive back up the road towards Highway 7 to pick up the other two men. The truck stops and the commandos climb into the back and then it proceeds towards the Kashan-Natanz highway.

Lt. Colonel Raymond knows that they will be early but they have to get inside of the compound as soon as possible. Once the bombing starts, the IRGC guards at the gates may not allow anyone to enter or leave.

1930Z: Joint Base Balad

At the other end of the field, parked in hardened revetments that were once the home of the formidable Iraqi Air Force, is one squadron of USAF F-15E Strike Eagles and one squadron of F-16 Block 50/52 that are preparing for their mission tonight. They have been fueled, armed and their flight crews have been briefed. The pilots and ground crews have preflighted their aircraft and inspected their weapons.

Tonight, some of these F-15 Strike Eagles are armed with the GBU-40 SDB and some are carrying the Raytheon AGM-154/A JSOW, both weapons with the BLU-97/B Combined Effects Bomb submunitions. They are also armed with two AIM-9X Sidewinder and two AIM-120 AMRAAM missiles. The squadron of F-16C/D Block 50/52 is similarly armed.

The pilots are sitting in the cockpit waiting for the signal to start their engines. They will depart about five minutes before the B-2A and F-22 strikes so that they do not alert the Iranian Air Traffic Controllers with their unusual activity in the Iraqi airspace tonight.

1930Z: Incirlik Air Base: Flight Level 300

Circling at Flight Level 300 over southeast Turkey is "Reach 56". The USAF Air Combat Command has decided to use that call sign as a disguise for their mission tonight. The Reach call sign is usually reserved for the United States Air Mobility Command and flown by the cargo/ troop transports and the air refueling aircraft. The Turkish government and military have not been informed of this operation since their relations with Israel have been strained, lately.

At intervals that are computer has derived, the B-52H starts ejecting the twelve AGM-129A Advanced Cruise missiles from its two wing pylon launchers to their assigned targets. The missiles that are going to the targets farthest away are released first and the closest targets are ejected last. This will insure that all the cruise missiles will arrive at the same time. These new Advanced Cruise Missiles have not been tested in combat but have proven their stealth effectiveness in the trials that the USAF has put them through. After "Reach 56" has launched all twelve of its cruise missiles; the B-52H turns northwest towards Eastern Europe and RAF Mildenhall.

On the ramp at Incirlik Air Base, twelve USAF pilots are seated in the cockpits of their Raptors. They are waiting for their orders to begin the start sequence of their two Pratt and Whitney F119-PW-100 Turbofan engines. The ground crews are waiting at attention outside each individual aircraft. Each aircraft is fully loaded with fuel and weapons. The ground crews have done their best to prepare these aircraft for probably the most important mission that these aircraft have ever undertaken to date.

This is the first time that these aircraft have gone into combat against such a formidable air defense system. Their anticipation is intense. Each pilot is thinking about their respective objective and how they will handle each threat.

They are planning to release their GBU-40 SBD when they are fifty miles away from their targets. The GBU-40 SBD is able to identify, track and attack the mobile anti-aircraft batteries. Once their precision guided small diameter bombs start hitting their targets, the Iranians will know that the fighters are there. Then the Air Defense Forces will unleash everything that they have to hit the aircraft even if they can't see them. When the anti-aircraft units begin to activate their detection and acquisition radar, the Israeli Killer Drones will have a surprise for them.

Then, these fighters will only have to worry about the Iranian Air Force fighter jets that may get airborne before their runways are destroyed by the anti-runway submunitions from the B-52's cruise missile attacks. The F-22s should be able to destroy these aircraft.

At 1945Z, the first F-22A flight is cleared to start its engines and complete its checklists. The teams are being deployed in sequence so that each team arrives at their assigned targets at the same time. The farthest flight will be to Dezful and Isfahan Air Bases. These flights should only take the fighters about thirty-five minutes. This also staggers the departures so that it does not create a lot of attention in the surrounding area of the base.

1930Z: Gulf of Oman

On the flight deck of the USS John C. Stennis, three Northrop Grumman X-47B UCAV are being brought up to the flight deck from the ship's hanger. These experimental Navy UCAVs are being armed with four: GBU-40 SDB, each. Captain Jenkins wants to launch these aircraft first to take care of the threat of the "Ghader" cruise missiles and C-802 Anti-Ship Surface to Surface missiles from the Iranian missile frigates and the Houdong class missile crafts. He knows that the X-47B won't be able to eliminate the entire Iranian missile craft fleet so he is relying on Phalanx Close in Weapon Systems (CIWS). He believe that it should be able defeat any missiles that the Iranians may launch. The X-47B is his only hope of surprising the Iranian Navy fleet.

Down in the Executive Officer's Briefing room, the officers are starting to arrive for the final battle briefing. Captain Jenkins is standing at the front of the room along with Vice Admiral Pickett.

"Ok, let's get started. Everyone has briefed their commands and we know what our jobs are. Our plan of attack will be to launch the X-47Bs, first, then VAQ-132 (EA-18G). I want the EA-18Gs to take out the early warning radar and anti-aircraft radar in Bandar Abbas, Jast and Chabahar. They will be escorted by VFA-66. So they will be launched simultaneously with the Growlers. Then launch VFA-17 to hit the airbase and navy base at Bandar Abbas and Kish. I want the first X-47B launched at 2010Z. Do you have any questions?" He turns to Admiral Picket and he shakes his head. No one else answers, either.

"Ok, let's get to work, we have a long night ahead of us," replies Captain Jenkins. The officers file out quietly. Everyone is immersed in their own thoughts.

1945Z: Al Dhafa Air Base, UAE

Two flight teams of four F-16E/F Block 60, Desert Falcons of the United Arab Emirates Air Force are preparing to launch for their missions tonight. These are some of the most advanced F-16s in the world. Like the F-16i Sufa, these aircraft are also equipped with the conformal fuel tanks. These F-16s and some of the USAF F-16 and F15 are the only ones in the world that are equipped with the Northrop Grumman AN/APG-80 AESA radar. This unit is far superior to the APG-68 that most F-16s are equipped with. It can perform simultaneous ground and air scan, track and targeting. Its main feature is the "agile beam" that reduces the odds of detection by opposing aircraft. This also makes the AESA radar harder to detect by the enemy's air defense radar systems. Another feature of these very expensive "special" F-16 fighter aircraft is the FLIR/laser targeting pod has been relocated internally to reduce its drag and radar signature. This modification also makes another hard point available for ordnance. They have been armed with two AIM-9X Block II Sidewinders, two AIM-120C7 AMRAAM missiles and some with the SLAM (AGM-84E Standoff Land Attack Missile).

One flight will fly west towards the Saudi Arabian airspace then turn to the northwest to protect the guided missile cruiser USS Bunker Hill and the guided missile destroyer USS Kidd that are patrolling the Persian Gulf near Qatar and Bahrain. The other four aircraft will fly east towards Al Ain then turn northeast and parallel the Al Hajar al Gharbi Mountains between the UAE and Oman. They have been given the task of attacking the Imperial Iranian Navy base at Sirri Island and any Iranian Navy PTF vessels that may pose a threat to the shipping lanes in the Persian Gulf. They will be supported and directed against any threats by the USAF E-3A Sentry AWACS from Muscat, Oman through their on board MIDS-LUT/LINK 16 equipment.

The pilots of these eight aircraft are seasoned veterans that have participated in the Red Flag exercises at Nellis Air Force Base in the United States. They also flew combat missions (for NATO) in Libya. The UAE Air Force and Navy are prepared for their role in this rescue mission and to protect the Straits of Hormuz to insure the flow of the Persian Gulf's oil.

These flights, tonight, will appear as a normal nightly patrol that the Air Force of the UAE has performed for years. So to the Early Warning Radar sites of the Iranian Air Defense Forces, it should appear normal until the Desert Falcons strike. Then it will be too late.

At 1950Z, they receive their orders to start engines and to be ready to taxi in ten minutes. These pilots are looking forward to eliminating this nuclear threat and in the process, take back Abu Musa, Greater Tunb and Lesser Tunb, the disputed islands in the Gulf that the UAE and Iran, both, claim to own.

1950Z: Persian Gulf, near Bahrain/Qatar

The night sky lights up with a fireball that envelopes the whole bow of the USS Bunker Hill. Milliseconds later, a RGM-109D Tactical Tomahawk cruise missile lifts off from its Mk. 41 Vertical Launcher. Once clear of the ship, the cruise missile's turbofan engine ignites and it begins its ascent to one thousand feet above the surface of the sea. Then as it turns towards it pre- programmed target, the cruise missile begins to descend to one hundred feet above the ground and accelerates to Mach .9.

The USS Bunker Hill launches two more Tomahawk cruise missiles. The first missile's target is Omidiyeh Air Base; the second missile's target is Bushehr Air Base, the third missile's target is the Shiraz Air Base. These Tomahawks are armed with the BLU-97/B combined effects submunitions to destroy the aircraft, runways and the radar facilities at these bases.

1950Z: Sakhir Air Base, Bahrain

On the ramp at Sakhir Air Base in Bahrain, the USAF YAL-1A, Airborne Laser (ABL) is beginning its taxi to Runway 17, for departure. It will begin its patrol tonight of the airspace between Iraq and the UAE. It will be particularly focused on the underground silos at the Iranian Space Center in the Semnan Province. Of greater concern will be the mobile transporter erector launchers (TELs) that can launch their new Sajjil and Shahab-3 ballistic missiles from anywhere in Iran.

The mission of the ABL is to cover all of the Iranian airspace; so it has to rely on the satellites for the AEGIS Ballistic Missile Defense System (SM-3) of the USS Bunker Hill. The new ballistic missile defense radars in southern Turkey and Romania will also point out any launches from the Iranian airspace.

With its infrared sensors it will then pinpoint the boosting missile and direct a "Track Illuminator" laser to determine a more precise aiming point. Once its computers have the tracking calculations completed and the laser aimed, it sends out a 670 million mile per hour beam to a pressurized section of the missile until it breaks apart.

2000Z: Natanz, Iran

The Captain of the Guards is knocking on the door to Colonel Radan's quarters. Colonel Radan was asleep and gets up to find out who is knocking on his door at this hour.

"Colonel Radan, we have just received this message from the IRGC Command," says the Captain as he hands the dispatch to Colonel Radan. He steps back to give the Colonel some privacy but he knows what the dispatch says.

Colonel Radan reads the dispatch and in his gut he knows that the Supreme Council is making another grave mistake. Radan knows that this is not going to be good news to the Israeli hostages.

He has been ordered to prepare sixteen Israelis to be transferred to the other nuclear facilities by 0900 tomorrow morning. That means that he will keep eight hostages at Natanz. How will he determine who goes and who stays? He decides to let their apparent leader, Yosef Rabin, make this decision. So he tells the Captain that he will go to the holding room to inform the Israelis to start getting ready for the transfer. He orders the Captain to get three additional guards and be back at his quarters in ten minutes. Colonel Radan returns to his quarters to get dressed.

While he is putting on his uniform, he turns on the closed circuit camera to get an idea of what he will be facing at the holding room. He sees that most of the Israeli prisoners are asleep and it seems relatively quiet.

2010Z: Front Gate: Natanz Nuclear Facility

At the front gate, IRGC Army trucks are arriving and leaving; some are carrying troops and others are bringing supplies for the IRGC reinforcements. The sentries standing post tonight give a brief inspection to the trucks and their occupants.

The Mercedes military truck with the disguised Israeli commandos stops for the sentries to inspect it. The sentry approaches the driver's door and asks the driver for his documents. With a look of disgust the driver tells the sentry that this is a special detachment that Colonel Radan has sent for to guard the Israeli prisoners. The sentry looks at the passenger in the other seat and notices the rank of an IRGC Pasdaran Captain. He salutes the IRGC Captain. Colonel Raymond looks at the sentry with an arrogant look and does not return the salute. He reaches into his uniform pocket and produces forged orders for his detachment.

He says to the sentry in Farsi, "Do you really want to awaken Colonel Radan at this time of night? Here are my orders. I will present them to him in the morning."

He passes the fake papers that were produced by the experts at the Mossad with a look of insolence and irritability on his face. He slides his right hand down to the hand gun on his right leg and waits for a response from the sentry. The sentry nervously looks them over as another sentry walks to the rear of the truck to look inside. The "troops" in the back look bored and tired like they are not happy to have been ordered down to Natanz from their home base. The sentry in the back nods his head and walks back to join the other sentry at the front of the truck.

"Ok, drive ahead about three hundred meters; the temporary command post is on the left. Check in with the Officer in Charge," says the sentry as he returns the orders. The driver takes the papers that the sentry hands back through the window, hands them to the "Captain" and puts the truck in gear to pull away. The sentry stands at attention and salutes as the truck pulls away.

2015Z: Holding Room

Colonel Radan, the Captain and the three armed IRGC guards walk to the holding room at the other end of the underground support building. The Captain orders the two guards that are posted there to open the door for Colonel Radan. The Captain and the three guards step inside and turn on the overhead light that awakens most of the Israeli prisoners. Colonel Radan walks in and looks around for Yosef. He sees him beginning to get up from his bed. Colonel Radan turns to the Captain and says to bring Yosef to him.

Yosef sees the Captain coming towards him and looks to see Colonel Radan standing in the room. He has never seen Radan at the holding room and knows that this can't be good news. The Captain escorts Yosef over to where Colonel Radan is standing.

Colonel Radan steps away from the others and says to Yosef, "Yosef, I have received orders to move sixteen of your men tomorrow morning at 0900. I do not agree with this order but I must comply. So I am letting you decide which men will be staying and which men will be leaving. I need for you to decide now because I have to complete the paperwork tonight. So go talk to your men and I will wait here for your decision. Tell your men that I need their cooperation and will not tolerate any disruptions tonight. That is why these soldiers are with me."

Yosef turns around, walks back over to the sleeping area and calls the men together. They are still trying to clear their heads from being so abruptly awaken. They begin discussing the matter and do not appear to be accepting the news very well.

2015Z: Tunnel Entrance

About two hundred meters from the main gate, the road to the tunnel is on the right. It leads to the underground buildings of the nuclear enrichment facilities. The truck turns right onto the road and then another right to get on the road that parallels the main entrance road. This is good because they are no longer in sight of the front gate sentries. Colonel Raymond has his handgun out and is attaching a silencer to the barrel.

The truck turns right onto the entrance road that leads into the tunnel. The passageway starts descending down into the tunnel and reverses course and takes a one hundred, eighty degree right turn about half way down the tunnel. This is a planned deterrent against an aerial or rocket attack.

As they make the turn, Colonel Raymond can see the massive steel doors. The doors are large enough to drive a large truck through. Just about fifty meters inside the steel doors is a guard post with a couple of sentries standing guard. As they approach the doors, the sentries come out of the guard house with a surprised look on their faces. There should not be any traffic coming to the tunnel at this time of night.

The sentries approach the truck as it comes to a stop. Colonel Raymond hands his silenced Glock to the driver as he creates a diversion by getting out of the truck. As the sentries turn to see what this "IRGC Captain" is doing, the driver shoots both sentries at point blank and two commandos exit the back of the truck. They grab the two sentries and put them into the back of the truck and the two commandos take up their positions as the replaced sentries. The driver pulls the truck ahead to a parking area and parks. The Israelis gather their weapons that were hidden under some tarps in the back of the truck and form up behind Colonel Raymond.

Colonel Raymond and his men proceed down the tunnel as if they were a detachment of IRGC soldiers that have been assigned duty inside the underground buildings. Colonel Raymond has memorized the layout of the building where the engineers are supposed to be held according to the Mossad's sources in Iran.

As they walk down the passageway, they are descending into the underground facility. The only people that they encounter are just a few workers and engineers that are leaving for the night. The passageway goes about fifty meters more then it splits off. One hallway goes right to one of the enrichment centrifuge cascades hall and the other one goes to the left to the support building. They can hear the sound of thousands of centrifuges working hard to turn the 20% uranium into 90% weapons grade uranium.

After entering the support building, Colonel Raymond and his men go into a tactical posture and speed up their pace to get to the holding room as soon as they can. Now, they will shoot anything that gets in their way. They run into a couple of guards but dispense with them quickly. The guards were caught by surprise at this time of night. The commandos move their bodies out of sight and keep moving as quickly as they can.

2020Z: 60 km West: Natanz, Iran: Flight Level 400

Two hours after descending for their aerial refueling, Mission Commander Major Rick Stabler says to his B-2A pilot, "Let's wake them up down there and get them to light up their anti-aircraft surveillance radars."

Using the Spirit's Raytheon AN/APQ-181 Multimode Radar System, he identifies and acquires the targets that he has programmed into the system's computer. Then the system delivers four of the eight AGM-154A-1 Joint Stand Off Weapons armed with 145 BLU-97/B Combined Effects Bombs from the B-2s internal rotary launcher. Each GPS guided bomb is pre-programmed for known anti-aircraft batteries outside the compound fence at Natanz. He launches a fifth guided bomb to the nuclear facility at Isfahan. HHHe is hoping that the Iranians Air Defenses Forces will expose the locations their mobile S-300PMU-1 anti-aircraft batteries when these bombs start to explode. Then he will launch the AGM-88E Advanced Anti-Radiation Guided Missiles to destroy these mobile batteries.

Lt. Colonel Warren Bradley is using the same technique at the Fordo nuclear facility near Qom. From this altitude, they will be able to detect any threats that their intelligence reports say maybe at Noushabad, a location about half way between the two main uranium enrichment facilities.

2030Z: Natanz, Iran

Just as they are about to enter the hallway for the holding room, there is a loud explosion outside. The B-52H launched cruise missile hits the Administration Building and destroys about half of it. The ground shakes and the dust flies but Colonel Raymond knows that these underground buildings will not be hit, yet. He smiles to himself because he knows that the American jets have arrived.

A few moments later, multiple explosions begin to occur in the distance as the USAF B-2A AGM-154/A bombs starting hitting their targets around the perimeter of the compound. The Combined Effects Bomb submunitions are laying down a path of destruction that is eliminating most of the known fixed anti-aircraft installations.

Raymond and his men get ready to attack the holding room while there is a distraction taking place outside. They rush around the corner and kill the two guards with their silenced Tavor assault rifles. His men quickly move the dead guards away from the entrance to the room. While his men are standing guard, Raymond begins searching the guards for the keys to the room. He is not aware of what is going on inside the holding room. He grabs the keys and starts for the door.

Colonel Radan and the Captain are startled by the explosions and forget about the Israelis and turn to leave to find out what is going on above ground. The three soldiers that went into the room with them are told to stay with the prisoners.

Outside of the door, the Israeli commandos are waiting against the wall. The Iranian officers open the door to leave. As they step into the hallway, a look of surprise and confusion comes across their faces when they see an IRGC officer and what appear to be IRGC soldiers waiting outside in the hallway pointing foreign assault weapons at them. They see the two IRGC guards lying dead.

Colonel Radan and the Captain are grabbed and thrown to the ground by two Israeli commandos as the rest of the team enter the room and shoot two of the startled IRGC soldiers. The third one raises his hands and weapon above his head and surrenders without a fight.

The engineers and Yosef had jumped to the floor when the shooting started. They remain there until the commandos tell them that they are Israelis. About that time, Colonel Raymond walks into the holding room after making sure that the Iranian officers have been bound and secured by his men. He tells his men to take the Iranian soldier to the hallway with the Iranian officers. The team exits the room and takes up a defensive position in the hallway.

"My name is Lt. Colonel Raymond of the Israeli Defense Force, who is Yosef Rabin?" he says as he looks around. Yosef and the engineers begin to get up off the floor.

Yosef steps forward and identifies himself, "I am Captain Yosef Rabin."

Colonel Raymond walks over to where he is standing and says, "Get your men ready, we must leave immediately."

Outside the underground facility, there is confusion and chaos as the IRGC Army and the Iranian Air Defense Forces are trying to reorganize. Most of the temporary barracks and the headquarters unit that were located just east of the Administration Building have been destroyed by the B-52 cruise missile attack. Most of the fixed Mersad Air Defenses Systems and GDF-002 twin 35mm cannon batteries around the perimeter have been destroyed by the B-2A JSOW submunitions. But two Russian fully integrated tracked self-propelled TOR-M1E (SA-15 Gauntlet) TLAR batteries with the 9 M 331 Surface to Air Missiles were not near the perimeter when the first attack began.

The Iranians wisely thought that they should keep this twenty-five million dollar surface to air defense system hidden away but close to Natanz. They are located three km north of the nuclear facility in an abandoned rock quarry. The operators heard the explosions going off at the nuclear facility and begin to make preparations to deploy even before they receive orders from Air Defense Command in Tehran. They start taking down the camouflage covering and jump inside the TLAR to move it into a launch position. Unfortunately, they did not consider the Israeli UCAVs.

Overhead Natanz at five thousand feet, Five Israeli Harpy and one Harop Killer Drones are loitering and waiting for any search and tracking radars to be activated. The Harop operators at Joint Base Balad have found the TOR-M1E batteries with the Harop's visual systems. The Harop operators were just waiting for the attack to begin or for the anti-aircraft radar to activate.

Just as the TOR-M1E units begin to deploy their launchers, the operators sitting inside the tracked vehicle turns on its F-band pulse Doppler acquisition radar and K-band target engagement radar. As the launchers are being raise, the Harop and then a Harpy slams into the two TOR batteries and ignites the eight missiles that are stored between the two radar arrays. A secondary explosion occurs in each TLAR and kills the four Iranian operators inside each vehicle.

Back at Natanz, three Swiss made GDF-002 anti aircraft guns with the towed Super Fledermaus (FC) radar units have survived the initial B-2A attack. Their operators are unaware of the Israeli UCAVs that are loitering overhead or what has just occurred to the TOR-M1E batteries just moments ago. The GDF crews were stunned by the initial explosions that have wiped out most of the other anti-aircraft batteries around them but they go through the trained procedures that have been taught to them. As the operators are beginning the procedures to power up their E/F band pulse Doppler search radar, the officer in charge of the GDF-002 batteries receives a call from the Air Defense Command. He is being ordered to not turn on his search or tracking radar but the call comes a moment too late.

Three Harpy Killer Drones slam into the remaining FC radar trailers as the operators initiate the radar warm up sequence.

At the Fordo nuclear facility at Qom and at Noushabad, similar events are occurring at the same time to the Iranian anti-aircraft defense systems. The Air Defense Command cannot find the stealth bombers. And when they turn on their detection/acquisition radars, the Israeli UCAVs and the B-2's anti-radiation missiles find them.

2030Z: Isfahan, Iran

About twenty km northwest of Isfahan, Captain Hart and his flight of five CV-22 Ospreys are just getting ready to make the turn to the northeast through the pass in the Karkas Mountains that will bring him over the city of Natanz. A loud warning comes over his helmet's headset. The Osprey's ATK AN/AAR-47 missile warning system has detected someone's search/acquisition radar and it has found his flight formation. He suspects that it is the JY-14 early warning radar site at Isfahan. He is expecting their HQ-2 or Mersad site to launch a missile at any moment. All he can do, now, is stay as low as he can and as close to the mountains as he dares. He has to be ready to deploy chaff or flares if he detects a missile coming at him because that is the only defense that his Osprey has.

Suddenly, the missile warning stops. In the distance, his co-pilot sees a bright light coming from the direction of Isfahan. He suspects that the B-52s cruise missile has struck the air base there and the Israeli Harop or F-22s have taken out the air defense's radar. Captain Hart is glad but he can't allow his thoughts to get distracted. He has to remain in a high concentration mode. The men, in the back of the CV-22s, are not aware of what has just transpired. They have been given the signal for ten minutes to go and are concentrating on their duties.

Captain Hart and his flight make the turn to the northwest after exiting the pass. They know that the enemy probably knows that they are coming so he alerts the Israelis to try to contact Colonel Raymond and tell him that they are ten minutes out. The operator of the Interim Defense Weapon System (IDWS) extends the retractable remote controlled GAU-17/A, a 7.62 mm Gatling minigun turret, from its housing pod in the belly of the aircraft. From his station, the operator uses a color television and FLIR to see his targets. He knows that they are going to have to fight their way in and out of the helipad, tonight. Another crew member is stationed on the rear ramp with a M240G 7.62 mm machine gun to cover the "B" Squadron and the Israelis during the fast rope insertion and during the extraction from the helipad.

2030Z: Hatzerim, Ramon, Nevatim and Ovda Air Bases: Israel

The Israeli Air Force has just launched sixteen F-15i Ra'am, each, with the GBU-28 Bunker Buster and thirty F-16i Sufa fighters escorts from their bases at Ramon, Hatzerim, Nevatim and Ovda Air Bases. These aircraft are flying south across the Negev Desert and will make an eastbound turn around the southern tip of Jordan. They will continue across Saudi Arabian airspace through Iraqi airspace where they will meet the USAF KC-10 tankers for aerial refueling before they enter Iranian air space.

By that time they should have received their final order to attack the nuclear facilities at Qom, Natanz, Arak, Darkhovin and Isfahan. They won't receive this go ahead until after the engineers and Colonel Raymond's team are safely clear of the Natanz compound.

At Ramat David Air Base and Hatzor Air Base, five squadrons of F-16C/D are preparing to patrol Israel's airspace and act as reinforcements for the F-15i and F-16i, if needed.

The Defense Minister has activated all Iron Dome units to be ready to defend Israel from the anticipated Hamas missile launches from the Gaza Strip, Hezbollah missile launches from Lebanon or Syrian missile attacks. The Israeli Defense Ground Forces and Navy have also been mobilized to expect retaliation of some sort from Iran.

If any Iranian ballistic missiles are launched and are able to evade the USAF YAL-1A (ABL) or US Navy's AEGIS Ballistic Missile Defense System, the new Arrows 3 Missile Defense System should be able to act as a last line of defense, according to the Israeli Minister of Defense. It will be complemented by the MIM-104F Patriot (PAC-3) Missile System and older Arrows 2 Missile Defense System. But the high numbers of the Shahab-3 that the Iranians have is what poses the greatest threat.

"The Israeli people know that they are going to be hurt. That is for sure, but a greater concern is the threat of a nuclear Iran," explains the Minister of Defense. He also knows that this reiterates the secret thoughts of most of the governments in the Middle East.

2030Z: Central Mediterranean

Over the Mediterranean, just south of Sicily, the second flight of two USAF B-2A bombers is flying at Flight Level 400. The aircraft commanders are also waiting for the final orders to attack Natanz and Fordo with their GBU-57A/B Massive Ordnance Penetrator (MOP).

The crews have flown all day and now it is nighttime. They have just completed a very intense night aerial refueling with a KC-10 tanker. It is still two more hours till they reach their targets. It will remain night time for the rest of their mission. They are already feeling the effects of fatigue and are doing their best to stay alert. Soon, they will be very busy and the adrenalin will start flowing.

2035Z: Natanz, Iran

Yosef and the engineers have gotten themselves ready to leave and are waiting for Lt. Colonel Raymond and his men to lead them out of this "prison". Lt. Colonel Raymond walks back out into the hallway to check with his men. He has the Iranian officers and the soldier brought into the holding room. He leaves them bound and tells his men to put some cloth over their mouths. Before his men gag Colonel Radan, Yosef approaches Radan and says, "Colonel, you treated us well. You are a true soldier and patriot. Do you want to stay here and die or do you want to go with us?"

Colonel Radan looks at Yosef and then to Colonel Raymond. He knows that if he stays here, he will surely die, because the Israelis and Americans will destroy Natanz and end the nuclear enrichment program here. He believes that he can trust these soldiers. He looks back to Yosef and says, "I will go with you. I would die for the Iran that I once knew but not for this."

Yosef looks at Lt. Colonel Raymond and he nods his approval. One of his men takes out a knife and cuts the plastic cuffs from Colonel Radan's wrists. Lt. Colonel Raymond tells the men that it is time to leave.

Lt. Colonel Raymond locks the door to the holding room. He has his men take up positions in front of and behind the "prisoners" with Colonel Radan in front with him. It appears that Colonel Radan is escorting a detachment that is moving the prisoners to another location. They start walking back to the tunnel and the truck.

2040Z: Natanz

Just as they exit the underground support building and begin to walk up the tunnel passageway to where they had parked the truck, Lt. Colonel Raymond's satellite phone begins vibrating. He takes it out of his pocket and answers it. It is his two comrades that are with the Delta Force unit on their way to pick them up. He knows that he has to get to the helipad as soon as possible.

They arrive back at the sentry post and the military truck. The Israelis that were stationed at the sentry post join them at the truck. They take the dead Iranians from the truck and hide the bodies. The engineers and the commando team load up into the back of the truck. Lt. Colonel Raymond and Colonel Radan can see that the massive steel entrance doors to the tunnel have been closed.

Colonel Radan says to Raymond, "they are programmed to close automatically in the event of an attack."

Lt. Colonel Raymond says, "Can you open them?"

"I will try but in case I can't, have your men get ready. There is a smaller door on the side for personnel to enter and leave from," says Colonel Radan.

They climb into the front of the big truck. Lt. Colonel Raymond starts the engine and turns the truck around and begins driving towards the big steel doors.

Colonel Radan is in the passenger seat. As the truck approaches the doors, they see two IRGC soldiers standing guard there. The soldiers were posted there after the doors were closed.

"There will probably be more soldiers on the other side," says Radan.

Before Colonel Radan gets out of the truck, Lt. Colonel Raymond looks him in the eye and hands him his Glock. Radan tucks it into the waistband behind his back.

Colonel Radan gets out of the truck and walks over to the guards. He can hear all the explosions that are occurring outside. The soldiers recognize Colonel Radan and salute him. He asks them if they can open the doors and they both shake their heads. He explains that he has the Israeli prisoners and has orders to transport them away from Natanz.

One of the soldiers reaches for his radio to call his immediate superior to tell him that Colonel Radan needs to have the bomb blast doors opened. Before he can say anything into his radio, Colonel Radan shoots him and then shoots the other soldier.

He grabs their radio and walks over to the control panel and to open the doors. Lt. Colonel Raymond has a couple of his men get out of the truck to move the dead IRGC soldiers and standby in case there are more soldiers on the other side of the door, coming into the tunnel.

Colonel Radan swipes his identification card and keys in a code and the massive doors begin to open and as predicted, a couple more soldiers were posted on the other side. There is a surprise look on their faces as the steel doors open and standing there is their commanding officer and two unknown soldiers.

Before they can salute their commander, the Israelis shoot them and move their bodies out of the way of the truck. Colonel Radan and the Israelis climb back into the truck and the truck continues up the passageway. Now, it is going to be pure speed and violence to get from the tunnel to the helipad.

2045Z: Natanz

Captain Hart says to his crew and the other Ospreys over the interphone and radio, "I can see the compound so get ready! We are about one kilometer away; I am transiting to the helicopter mode. Open the ramp and prepare to fast rope. Number 3, 4 and 5, stay about two hundred meters behind us to give us some cover fire. It is going to get real dusty down there so be careful. The visibility at the helipad is going to be reduced so listen up. I will lead and call my turn and we will climb to the right."

The remote IDWS operators are looking at the landing helipad on their television screen with FLIR images showing numerous soldiers nearby. One of the Israelis on board looks at the screen and says that those soldiers are not friendlies.

The GAU-17A miniguns on all of the Ospreys begin to fire as number 1 and 2; approach the helipad in a hover at ten feet. The Delta Force soldiers and one of the Israelis begin to leave the ramps. They are wearing protective goggles to keep the dust out of their eyes.

The Ospreys begin taking ground fire as Captain Hart begins to turn away from the helipad. He calls the other aircrafts to tell the pilots that he is turning and climbing away to the right. The number 2, CV-22, starts his turn and begins to climb above the dust cloud.

Captain Hart calls the assigned USAF E-3C AWACS for ground support help. The rear gunners begin firing out the back as the other Ospreys turn to the right and continue climbing to get out of range of the small arms fire.

The Delta operators take up a defensive position around the helipad and the dust starts to settle. The visibility is improving and they can see the IRGC beginning to move into position on the entrance road next to the helipad. The Iranians soldiers are beginning to advance on the Delta "B" squadron.

One of the IRGC officers with a small squad of IRGC, nearby the entrance road, realizes that these aircraft and soldiers are American and calls for reinforcements to come to the helipad. He tells the reinforcements to bring their shoulder fired SA-7 portable air defense launchers to the helipad area. The squad of Iranian soldiers is beginning to attack the "B" Squadron's defensive positions on the helipad. A firefight begins but the Delta Force operators quickly overcome this small group of Iranian Pasdaran.

A few moments later, Captain Hart gets a call from Python 41, a USAF F-16 C/D, from Joint Base Balad that is operating in the Isfahan area. Captain Hart requests a strafing run on the western side of the helipad. The pilot of the F-16 acknowledges the request and gives an ETA of two minutes.

Captain Hart tells the Israeli commando to call Lt. Colonel Raymond and tell him that an F-16 will be making a strafing run on the west side of the helipad. Raymond acknowledges and waits before exiting the tunnel.

Captain Hart calls Captain Ray to have his squad to pull back to the east side of the helipad and wait for the F-16 to make its pass. He has positioned his Ospreys out of range of the small arms fire but the moments pass painfully slow as he waits. He knows that the longer he has to sit there the advantage of this surprise attack will deteriorate rapidly. Natanz is one of the most heavily defended places in Iran and its defenders will rally soon against this attack.

Even if the USAF were able to destroy most of the air defenses, Captain Hart knows that they probably did not get all of the anti-aircraft batteries. The firefight continues at the helipad as the Delta squadron is taking heavy fire from the other side as more IRGC reinforcements arrive.

About five seconds before the F-16 arrives, a missile streaks from the IRGC position and hits the number 5, Osprey, in the right engine. The pilots quickly shutdown that engine and the remaining engine automatically takes over the right proprotor. The number 5, CV-22, is still flyable but this aircraft will not be able to keep up with the other Ospreys. It won't make it back to Joint Base Balad.

Captain Hart makes the decision to order the damaged aircraft to land in a remote area about two kilometers east of the nuclear compound and transfer the crew to number 4. He orders the crew to destroy it. It lands in an open area and the crew sets the explosive charges and then they join the number 4, Osprey. After they are airborne and at a safe distance, the aircraft commander of number 5, Osprey, detonates the explosives.

Moments later, Python 41 checks in with Captain Hart and gives him an ETA of 20 seconds and tells him to clear the area. Captain Hart calls Captain Ray to take cover. Python 41 comes down from over the Karkas Mountains and surprises the Air Defense Forces that are left and the IRGC that are defending the helipads. He lays down a path of 20 mm cannon fire that chops up the west side of the helipad and anyone there. The small arms fire has ceased for now so Captain Hart has got to get his Ospreys back in there and fast!

Lt. Colonel Raymond can't wait any longer and he decides that it is time to go. He puts the truck in gear and speeds out of the tunnel and takes a left turn towards the main entrance road. Debris is all over the place and he is doing his best to avoid it and the dazed IRGC soldiers. They pass by the destroyed Administration Building. Large pieces of concrete from the cruise missile attack are scattered all over the road. The stunned and shell-shocked soldiers are surprised to see a military truck driving through the destruction so quickly and can barely get out of its way. Raymond turns left onto the main entrance road and heads for the helipad on the right. The pad is about one hundred, fifty meters away.

Out of the corner of his eye, Raymond sees three Ospreys approaching the helipads but he also sees a platoon of IRGC Pastaran approaching the helipad from the south. Captain Ray also sees the approaching enemy and moves his men into position on the south end of the helipad to meet this threat.

They begin firing on the Iranians with their HK416 assault rifles and M249 SPW machine guns. The Iranians take cover and return fire. Using the attached grenade launchers and their machine guns, the "B" Squadron is able to slow down the advance of the IRGC platoon. Captain Ray keeps an eye on the truck and the approaching Ospreys. As the three Ospreys begin to descend to the helipad, a large cloud of dust begins to kick up. He decides that this is a good time to withdraw back into the dust towards the helipads since the visibility is rapidly decreasing.

Just as Captain Hart and the other two Ospreys land, Lt. Colonel Raymond pulls onto the ramp. His men jump out of the truck and they take up a defensive position to allow the engineers to board the aircraft, first. They join in the fight with Captain Ray's men.

Yosef has the Israelis engineers disperse between the three aircraft. Lt. Colonel Raymond and Colonel Radan join Yosef in Captain Hart's aircraft. Captain Ray's men and the Israeli commandos are the last ones to board among the three aircraft. They wait till the pilots start adding Pratt and Whitney power to the proprotors.

Captain Hart makes his turnout to the north, first, and the other two CV-22s follow. The rear gunners are firing their machine guns at the entire helipad area. The GAU-17A minigun operators on all four aircraft also begin spraying the area behind them with a wall of lead as the Ospreys transition from vertical flight to airplane mode.

When out of range of the small arms fire, the rear gunner closes the rear ramp and it suddenly becomes very quiet in the back of the Osprey. Aside from a few superficial wounds, most of Captain Ray's men are not harmed. The two Israelis with Captain Ray are very happy to see their commander and their team.

2100Z: Natanz

Lt. Colonel Raymond looks around at his men, Yosef and at Captain Ray. He smiles. He pulls out his satellite phone and calls Control. The Prime Minister is waiting for his call.

"Mr. Prime Minister, we have the engineers and we are clear!" says Colonel Raymond.

The Israeli Prime Minister replies," Thank you, Benjamin, Thank your men and the Americans!"

"You are welcome, Mr. Prime Minister. We will be home soon!"

This Operation is finished but this is not THE END!

Look for more covert operations by Lt. Colonel Benjamin Raymond and his "Batmen".

Thank you for reading my book. Jason Kramer
No part of this book may be reproduced, stored in a retrieval system, or transmitted by any means, electronic, mechanical, photocopying, recording or otherwise without written permission from the publisher.

Connect with Jason Kramer: jason.kramer@finalnoticepublications.com

