spartans_in_darkness

TOP S!eftETf!eOrvmm/X1
EO 1.4. (c)
(8//8I) The F-4 pilots were to use F-lOS communications
procedures and flight routines to
deceive the North Vietnamese COMINT monitors
and radar operators. The Phantom pilots would
use Thunderchief callsigns and communications
procedures. They would refuel at usual F-lOS
points, fly their strike ingress routes and altitudes,
and airspeeds. The extra touch of deception
was that the F-4s would carry the F-lOS ECM
pod, the QRC-160-1, that was used for protection
against the local SAM threat. Extra sets of these
pods had to be specially flown in from the stateside
factory while aircrews had to modify the F-4
wing pylons to hold the jammers. Ground crews
also made other physical changes to the F-4s to
make the disguise convincing to the enemy
pilots"
(8//81) A second problem for Olds was to
overcome the major advantage that the MiGs
had, which was their far longer time in flight
over target. The MiGs were able to stay in their
patrol area for about fifty minutes, whereas the
F-4s could stay for only twenty minutes, if not
engaged. That time dropped to five minutes when
the Phantoms
fought the
MiGs. Olds'
NORT
solution was to
stagger a number
of flights to
arrive in fiveminute
intervals.
This way,
fresh Phantoms
would be arriving
just as the
previous flight
had to leave
because of low
fuel. Olds
planned for two
main attacks.
The first, staging
from bases
in Thailand,
VIET
would engage the MiGs in aerial combat. The second
wave, from the 366thTFW, would stage from
Danang, fly in from the east, and arrive over the
Viet-namese bases in time to catch the surviving
MiGs returning to their bases.Jt was a complicated
plan, and the aircrews had to train vigorously
over a number of days to get their acts down and
coordinate the flights. Almost 100 aircraft,
including Iron Hand SAM suppression aircraft,
RB-66 ECMaircraft, and ninety combatjets, were
involved.
(T8//8I) SIGINT support came from the
Silver Dawn ACRP mission. The commander 7th
Air Force, Lieutenant General William Momyer,
specifically asked for the involvement of the RC­
130s in a tactical control role. The question of
how the planes would be utilized vexed the cryptologists.
Afraid of compromising their sources,
the decision was kicked up the Air Force Security
Service chain of command.
L..-_---' and AFSS headquarters agreed to this
special use of Silver Dawn. To overcome the complaints
about the confusing nature of the usual
MiG warnings issued by the ACRP,a set of special
NAM
8-66
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~ Flight routes fot Operation Bolo
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