The target was in a shallow descent, heading right for Tripoli at close to six hundred kilometers per hour. Every now and then it would make a sudden move—a sharper descent, a fast turn one direction or the other, and at one time it even appeared to be doing a one-eighty. Large bombers needed to transfer alignment maneuvers for inertially guided air-launched weapons—maybe that’s what this aircraft was doing. But one thing was for sure: It was definitely heading for Tripoli, and it was unidentified.

The rules said shoot it down.

“Hibr two, take tactical spacing,” the leader called to his wingman.

“Acknowledged.”

The lead MiG-23 pilot flew above and past the target, then started a rapid left descending turn that quickly brought him right on the bandit’s right rear quarter. The aircraft had no exterior lights whatsoever, and no lights were visible on the side of the fuselage either—definitely not an airliner. He moved in close enough so he could clearly see the outline of the plane against the growing brightness of the horizon as Tripoli came closer and closer; then he turned on his identification spotlight.

“Control, Hibr flight has visual identification,” the leader radioed. “Bandit is a DC-10 aircraft. It has a U.S. registration number, N-three-oh-three Sierra Mike. I see no weapons or any unusual protrusions or devices. The aircraft is completely dark, and... Stand by, Control.” The pilot slid forward, letting the searchlight shine in the copilot’s side of the cockpit. “Control, it appears the bandit’s right cockpit sliding window is open, and there appears to be smoke trailing out from the window, repeat, the bandit seems to be venting smoke from his cockpit. Smoke is also trailing from what appears to be an open cockpit escape hatch. There are only flashlight beams in the cockpit—no lights whatsoever. This aircraft may be having an inflight emergency. If he has shut off all aircraft power, that could be the reason why he has not responded to us and why he has no lights on.”

“Hibr flight, be advised, Suf flight of four and Kheyma flight of two are joining on you, ETE three minutes.”

“Control, I don’t need any more fighters up here,” the leader said perturbedly. “This is a commercial aircraft with what appears to be an inflight emergency. He’s not a combat aircraft. I think I can get him turned away from the coast myself—I don’t need six more fighters in the area. Have those extra planes go look for the bogeys I found south of Tripoli.” But his suggestion went unheeded.