Shahed drone from Iran likely used to kill US troops in Jordan

[RYAN ROBERTSON]

THE DRONE THAT KILLED THREE U.S. SERVICE MEMBERS AND INJURED DOZENS MORE AT THE TOWER 22 OUTPOST IN JORDAN WAS AN IRANIAN MADE SHAHED SERIES UNMANNED AERIAL VEHICLE. THAT’S ACCORDING TO ANONYMOUS SOURCES WITHIN THE U.S. DEPARTMENT OF DEFENSE. IF TRUE, TARGETING IRAN’S DRONE MANUFACTURING CAPABILITIES COULD BE PART OF THE WHITE HOUSE’S RESPONSE TO THE JANUARY 28TH ATTACK.

SO, HOW WAS AN ENEMY DRONE ABLE TO GET PAST TOWER 22’S DEFENSES? WELL, IT’S PRETTY EASY TO DO IF THEY AREN’T ACTIVATED. A U.S. OPERATED DRONE WAS SAID TO BE RETURNING TO THE OUTPOST AT THE SAME TIME THE SHAHED APPROACHED, CAUSING CONFUSION ABOUT WHETHER IT WAS FRIEND OR FOE.

TOWER 22 IS A SMALL U.S. MILITARY OUTPOST WHERE ABOUT 350 SOLDIERS AND AIRMEN FROM THE ARMY AND AIRFORCE ARE STATIONED AS PART OF THE ONGOING FIGHT WITH THE ISLAMIC STATE. THE PENTAGON SAYS THE DRONE STRUCK THE SLEEPING QUARTERS AT TOWER 22 EARLY IN THE MORNING. EXPLAINING, AT LEAST IN PART, WHY SO MANY U.S. SERVICE MEMBERS WERE KILLED OR INJURED.

IRAN HAS SEVERAL DIFFERENT TYPES OF DRONES WHICH THEY SHARE WITH THEIR TERROR PROXIES THROUGHOUT THE REGION. AND IRANIAN STATE TV OFTEN AIRS FOOTAGE OF IRAN’S MILITARY PRACTICING AGAINST WHAT LOOK LIKE MOCKUPS OF WESTERN TARGETS.

SO, LIKE VIRTUALLY EVERY OTHER OUTPOST, BASE OR MILITARY FACILITY THE U.S. OPERATES IN THE MIDDLE EAST, TOWER 22 DID HAVE COUNTER UAV SYSTEMS IN PLACE TO DEFEND AGAINST SUCH ATTACKS. IN PARTICULAR, WE KNOW TOWER 22 IS EQUIPPED WITH RAYTHEON’S COYOTE DRONE INTERCEPTORS, WHICH SHOULD HAVE MADE QUICK WORK OF ANY SHAHEDS ON APPROACH IF ONLY THEY WERE WORKING.

U.S. CENTRAL COMMAND, WHICH OVERSEES MILITARY OPERATIONS IN THE MIDDLE EAST, SAYS IT’S REEVALUATING ITS BASES’ AIR DEFENSES AND PROCEDURES WHEN DEALING WITH DRONES FOLLOWING THE FATAL ATTACK. THE WHITE HOUSE IS ALSO SAID TO BE WEIGHING OPTIONS IN HOW TO RESPOND.

PRESIDENT BIDEN SAYS HE DOESN’T WANT TO ESCALATE THE SITUATION OR LEAD THE U.S. INTO A WAR WITH IRAN, BUT THAT’S EXACTLY WHAT IRAN WANTS. AND AS MILITARY ANALYSTS LOVE TO POINT OUT, THE ENEMY GETS A VOTE TOO.

ASIDE FROM THE TOWER 22 STRIKE IN JORDAN, IRANIAN BACKED MILITIAS LAUNCHED MORE THAN 160 SEPARATE STRIKES ON U.S. TROOPS IN IRAQ AND SYRIA SINCE THE WAR IN GAZA BROKE OUT. WHILE NO ONE DIED IN THOSE ATTACKS, IT WASN’T FOR LACK OF TRYING.

THAT’S WHY MICK MULROY, THE FORMER DEPUTY ASSISTANT SECRETARY OF DEFENSE IS CALLING FOR THE U.S. TO HIT IRAN WITH MORE FORCE THAN WE HAVE USED TO DATE. MULROY IS NOT ALONE IN THAT SENTIMENT.

OPTIONS FOR STRIKING BACK AT IRAN CAN INCLUDE IRANIAN TROOPS OR PROXIES INSIDE SYRIA, INSIDE IRAQ, EVEN INSIDE IRANIAN TERRITORY. OF COURSE, STRIKING IRANIAN DRONE MAKING FACILITIES IS A SOUND STRATEGY AS WELL.

IRAN’S MILITARY DRONE INDUSTRY IS A POINT OF PRIDE IN THE COUNTRY, AND WIDELY CELEBRATED. DEFENSIVE AGREEMENTS WITH RUSSIA ALSO MEANS IRAN SENDS SHAHEDS TO MOSCOW FOR PUTIN TO USE IN UKRAINE. SO, TAKING OUT THAT CAPACITY IN IRAN COULD BE A “TWO BIRDS, ONE STONE” SCENARIO FOR THE U.S. AND ITS ALLIES.