Iran’s Revolutionary Guards, considered to be the most fanatical and elite part of its military, recently claimed to have shot down “many” Western spy planes, including some over the Persian Gulf. It did not offer any proof for this claim, such as footage of the shootdowns or any scraps of wreckage. Nor has any Western country reported the loss of any manned vehicles. If there is any truth at all to Iran’s claims, it probably means that the Iranians have successfully engaged unmanned reconnaissance drones — it’s a lot easier to cover up the loss of a robot than a missing pilot who leaves behind a family and friends and a Facebook profile.
