From a Marine Pilot:

  

In addition to communicating with the local Air Traffic Control facility, all aircraft in the Persian Gulf AOR are required to give the Iranian Air Defense Radar (military) a ten minute 'heads up' if they will be transiting Iranian airspace.

 

This is a common procedure for commercial aircraft and involves giving them your call sign, transponder code, type aircraft, and points of origin and destination.

 

I just flew with a guy who overheard this conversation on the VHF Guard (emergency) frequency 121.5 MHz while flying from Europe to Dubai .  It's too good not to pass along.

 

The conversation went something like this ...

 

 

Air Defense Radar:

"Unknown aircraft at (location unknown), you are in Iranian airspace.

Identify yourself."

 

 

Aircraft:

"This is a United States aircraft.  I am in Iraqi airspace."

 

 

Air Defense Radar:

"You are in Iranian airspace.

If you do not depart our airspace we will launch interceptor aircraft!"

 

 

Aircraft:

"This is a United States Marine Corps FA-18 fighter.  Send 'em up, I'll wait!"

 

 

Air Defense Radar:

(no response ... total silence)

 

 

 

 

Semper Fi