The skies over Iran have been a nervous and vigilant zone, where every gesture is followed and advanced technology continuously scans for likely threats. For years, encounters between American forces and Iranian airplanes played out in this uncomfortable zone. Spy drones, such as the MQ-1 Predator, freely brush by Iran’s borders, collecting intelligence and quietly probing limits. But then in 2013, something strange occurred—an incident that seemed out of a film. A high-speed meeting between a U.S. F-22 Raptor and two Iranian F-4 Phantoms would quietly send a clear message about who owned the skies.
To put the entire situation in context, it is helpful to flash back to November 2012. Two Iranian Su-25 Frogfoots spotted an American Predator drone about 16 miles off the Iranian coast. The drone, which was used for reconnaissance purposes and not combat, was slow, unarmed, and poorly prepared for a dogfight. However, the Iranian pilots made several passes at it using their 30mm cannons.
Miraculously, the drone remained intact—presumably because of limited ammo. Whether the attack was an authentic attempt at destroying it or merely a warning shot, the message to America was clear. From then on, drones within Iran flew with escorts. Occasionally, these were F/A-18 Super Hornets from naval ships in the vicinity. Other times, a significantly more stealthy escort was used—the F-22 Raptor, flying out of the United Arab Emirates undetected.
Fast forward to March 2013. A second MQ-1 Predator was on a routine reconnaissance mission close to Iranian airspace when two F-4 Phantoms scrambled to intercept. These Cold War-era jets were still fast, still heavily armed, and still deadly. To the Iranians, the unarmed drone was an easy target. But those Iranian pilots had no idea they weren’t the only ones on the battlefield.
High above, utterly invisible on radar, an F-22 Raptor flown by Lt. Col. Kevin “Showtime” Sutterfield was tailing the Phantoms. Because of the Raptor’s stealth, it shadowed the Iranian fighters without ever being detected. One of the F-4s drew close to the drone as one of the pilots, Showtime, quietly flew below it, sizing up the jet’s armament.
Then, in a scene that would not have been out of place in a spy novel, he crept along behind the Phantom and calmly radioed: “You really oughta go home.” The Iranian pilots, realizing at last that they were approaching a stealth fighter pilot, did not fight. They turned their aircraft around and flew back to base.
No bullets were fired. No dogfight had broken out. But the encounter totally altered the dynamics of power in the air. The U.S. showed that invisibility, timing, and presence could be more powerful than sheer firepower. For the Iranian pilots, the discovery that they were under surveillance by an invisible jet must have been a shocking experience.
The incident was later recalled by Air Force Chief of Staff Gen. Mark Welsh, who praised Showtime for skill and professionalism and said, as a Reservist, he flew the F-22 with incredible accuracy. The incident otherwise pointed to how stealth, speed, and awareness of the situation could nullify numerical superiority. Two-to-one disadvantage was irrelevant when one couldn’t even see the other.
What made this moment meaningful wasn’t the technology—yet—it was the message. The Raptor, in tandem with a surveillance drone, sent a clear message: the U.S. could defend its assets with methods that left foes in doubt. Also meaningful was restraint. Instead of ratcheting up the confrontation, the F-22 pilot used judgment. That one quiet warning more than likely averted a scenario that might have escalated into a serious worldwide incident.
The encounter also served to put in perspective the difference between fifth-generation stealth fighters and older planes that remain in service worldwide. Regardless of the pilot’s experience or the speed of the jet, older technology just was not capable of keeping up with the performance of a modern stealth fighter. Aviation analysts have pointed out that the encounter serves to highlight just how dominating stealth platforms can be when coupled with thoughtful, strategic thinking.
Lastly, the incident demonstrates how contemporary aerial operations tend to operate. Victory is not always a function of speediest aircraft or mightiest missiles. It’s about framing perceptions, making decisions, and functioning in ways that make opponents second-guess what’s around the corner. That 2013 F-22 mission off Iran’s coast was a case in point. Within minutes—and with hardly any words—the U.S. illustrated how stealth, timing, and situational awareness could change the rules of engagement in the new age.