« Look for the Union Label | Main | Still haven't found »
June 07, 2009
Code Name: Opera
In the late 1970s, Iraq purchased an "Osiris class" nuclear reactor from France. Israeli military intelligence assumed this was for the purpose of plutonium production to further an Iraqi nuclear weapons program. Israeli intelligence also believed that the summer of 1981 would be the last chance to destroy the reactor without exposing the Iraqi civilian population to nuclear fallout. After that point, the reactor would be loaded with nuclear fuel.
Israel had learned that Iraq was about to receive a shipment of enriched uranium for its reactor near Baghdad -- enough to build four or five Hiroshima-size bombs, the reactor was 600 miles from Israel.
On June 7, 1981, a squadron of Israeli F-16A fighter aircraft, with an escort of F-15As, bombed and heavily damaged the Osirak reactor.
Then Prime Minister Menachem Begin ordered the attack to occur before the uranium arrived and the reactor went "hot," at which point bombing would have scattered radioactive waste over Baghdad.
Eight Israeli F-16’s took off in the late afternoon from an Israeli air base in the Sinai. Behind them six Israeli F-15’s took off, as well, to provide cover for a very special and important mission. Flying low and in a tight formation, the fighter jets passed through Jordanian and Saudi Arabian airspace undetected.
Finally, the jets enter Iraqi airspace. At 5:35 in the evening, about an hour and a half after the jets took off, they reach their target. Two minutes later Operation Opera comes to a successful conclusion. The Iraqi nuclear reactor, Osirak, has been totally destroyed.
From Lieutenant-Colonel's Ze'ev Raz - (squadron's leader and leader of the attack) briefing :
The route: "We are about to fly a course over Eilat and Aquaba, and then south of Jordan along Saudi-Arabia's border. This route is planned to avoid Arab villages and cities where we might be discovered, so we will fly over desert area until Baghdad. This is not the shortest path to fly, but it would avoid radar detection, so we will remain undetected just until we get over target. On the way to the target we will fly at an altitude of 150 ft. On our way back we will fly at high altitude. We are short on fuel ! Those who get engaged in dogfights won't make it back !"
The bombing technique: "About 20 km east to the reactor we will ignite the afterburner to full power and start a climb. At the peak we will roll over, identify the target and dive at the speed of 600 knots at 35 degrees. Release the bombs at an altitude of 3,500 feet, aiming at the base of the structure, and release flares to avoid hits by ground fire. All pilots will drop their bombs in intervals of 5 seconds - You will drop 16 bombs in total, but a hit of 8 bombs could do the job !"
The weapons : "You will be armed with two 1,000 kg "iron" bombs, equipped with delay fuses, to ensure explosion deep in the reactors core to maximize the damage."
Target defense : "The reactor has its own air defense system, combined of AAA guns and missiles. Target is surrounded by high earth ramparts."
Code-named Opera, the raid was a spectacular success.
While this operation was initially almost universally condemned by the world community, in retrospect this Israeli operation is highly praised by many.
Opera was not Israel's first preemptive act against Iraq's attempts to acquire nuclear weapons. In April 1979 unidentified saboteurs blew up reactor parts at a French port, parts awaiting shipment to Iraq. In August 1980 an Egyptian-born nuclear physicist important to Iraq's nuclear program was killed in Paris.
News of the audacious raid did not actually emerge until 24 hours later when Israel made its announcement. Only then did Iraq admit it had happened and express indignation.
One of the pilots involved was Colonel Ilan Ramon who trained as Israel's first astronaut but was killed in the Columbia shuttle disaster in 2003. He flew in Number 4 of the first formation and described the flight:
"We fly deep within Iraq, It is all desert around us while we pass another marking point on our route. I try to concentrate on flying my F-16, but from time to time I think about the target we are about to attack, and the responsibility we've got. It's the first time in my life that I really feel responsible for the destiny of a whole nation. The view changes - a blue river in the middle of the desert. We have been here 2500 years ago... I see buildings and a deserted airfield. Somebody calls over the radio : "Watch out for AAA fire !" and the sky gets filled with flashes of exploding rounds. I light the afterburner and pull up. Just in front of my eyes I see the earth ramparts and behind it - you can't miss - the silver dome of the reactor...
"Eshkol 8" sounds the radio, "Everybody Charlie!" - Charlie was the code name meaning all pilots have dropped their bombs.
It was amazing - I managed to see how the bombs of the pilots in front of me hit the target and the dome collapsed into the structure ! The hits were excellent, and now we fly at high altitude back to our base. I hope they didn't start a chase, to run us out of fuel...
We cross the Arava and we are back in Israel. The IAF commander calls on the radio, and says: "All you have to do now is land"...
Lest we forget, against all odds, on her own and on her own initiative, with complete secrecy and complete success, Israel removed a grave threat to her existence. And in doing so, Israel also removed a threat that endangered the entire free world.
Posted by LindaSoG at June 7, 2009 08:48 AM
Comments
Here's wishing them success for Opera II. for once again it will be "against all odds, on her own and on her own initiative".
All the way across Iraq this time.
Posted by: rickn8or at June 7, 2009 03:21 PM
From January 20. 1981 to January 20, 1989 we had a leader who supported Israel and the United States, prior to that we had Jimmah, from 1977 to 1981. I wish Israel all the best and all my support if they decide to remove the greater threat in the Middle East as we have nobody in the Congress or the White House who will support freedom over Islam.
Posted by: Jack at June 7, 2009 10:14 PM
Well, they did it once, they most certainly can do it again. Here is wishing them G-d speed, and good hunting. And despite the braying and neigh saying that will spew forth from the EU crowd (and a majority of pond scum from inside the Beltway) I hope they know the majority of Americans are behind them all the way.
Posted by: Guy S at June 8, 2009 12:47 AM
I could be wrong, but at least this time Iraq shouldn't be such a problem...
Wishing them all well and looking forward to reading about Armadinnerjuacket's next hissy-fit, I remain,
Cordially yours
Posted by: Kevin M at June 11, 2009 05:57 PM