1 - The Black Vault

PRAETORIAN STARSHIP
ridgeline. John R. Lewis, a technical representative
from Texas Instruments (the prime contractor
for the AN/APQ-115) was called in as part
of a depot-level technical team to examine the radar.
The team conducted preliminary interviews
of flight-crew personnel and performed an operational
evaluation of the integrated system while
the aircraft remained at Hickory. The main components
of the AN/APQ-115 were then removed
from the aircraft and returned to Pope AFB for
evaluation by Air Force technicians. The investigation
concluded that the radar was working
within parameters when it was checked after the
accident. 17 Why the aircraft struck the trees
would remain a mystery. The aircraft was repaired
and returned to Detachment 2 on 24 June
1969. Its near brush with destruction would forebode
its future. After participating as one of two
Combat Talons in the Son Tay POW Raid in 1970,
the aircraft was destroyed in a midair collision
with an F-102 interceptor on 5 December 1972,
with the loss of everyone aboard.
The CTMR conference, which had been proposed
the previous fall, was hosted by AFLC/LO
at LAS Ontario from 11 to 13 March 1969. This
was the first of the yearly conferences that
brought together US and overseas Combat Talon
units, representatives from their respective commands,
and contractor personnel from industry
to discuss the Combat Talon weapons system and
its future development. The objectives for the
first conference were ambitious and reflected the
importance of future meetings of this type. Conference
objectives included the following:
1. Review and validate the basic concept of operations
in light of combat experience gained since initial
employment.
2. Validate established mobility criteria upon which
applicable tables of allowance were based.
3. Review the published aircrew training syllabus for
comprehensiveness and applicability in terms of
tactics and procedures used in weapons system employment.
4. Review the published weapons system security
guide.
5. Review the proposed FY-70 modification program.
6. Identify operational requirements, which formed
the basis for future system modifications.
7. Discuss Combat Talon logistics procedures established
for peculiar equipment.
8. Review the Air Force Logistics Command (AFLC)
IRAN schedule and work package.
9. Resolve or initiate action on any problems associated
with personnel, materiel and operational requirements.
18
The conference was chaired by Maj Benjamin
N. Kraljev, Air Staff AFXOSO. In addition to the
published agenda, conference attendees agreed to
discuss the Lockheed Technical Manual, which
had been designed to provide aircrew and maintenance
personnel with the appropriate procedures
for those peculiar systems not covered by standard
Air Force publications. The existing LTM was
classified Secret because of sections dealing with
ECM equipment installed on the aircraft. Certain
other parts of the document described the AN/
APQ-115 terrain-following radar and was classified
Confidential. The majority of the document,
however, contained unclassified information.
With an overall classification of Secret, proper
utilization of the technical order was difficult for
both maintenance and operations personnel alike.
Conference attendees agreed to delete operational
procedures and tactics from the LTM and to include
them in an appropriate 55-series procedures
manual. Also, those portions of the LTM describing
the AN/APQ-115 radar (except its operational
limitations) would be declassified. The ECM portion
of the LTM would be published as a classified
appendix to the basic LTM, thus leaving the majority
of the document as a stand-alone unclassified
tech manual that could be more easily used in daily
operations. 19
Lt Col P. M. Meyers, Headquarters TAC, submitted
a draft concept of employment for the
Combat Talon that contained detailed information
required to properly plan a Combat Talon
mission. After review by conference attendees, the
document was adopted for use by all three Combat
Talon squadrons. Other discussions revolved
around the Fulton STARS and perceived operational
shortfalls. Long-range exfiltration of a US
Army A-Team could not be accomplished without
airlanding a Combat Talon. Airlanding in enemy
territory made the option risky. USAFE/7th SOS
concluded that a STARS capable of extracting up
to 4,000 pounds should be explored and agreed to
review the requirement further. If additional
study warranted, USAFE agreed to submit a required
operational capability to Air Staff. Attendees
also confirmed the requirement for a highspeed
(250 knots) air-drop capability that would
eliminate drop zone compromise during the slow -
down maneuver. The high-speed modification was
in the prototype phase of development and had
already proven its feasibility in the Heavy Chain
program. Air Staff (AFXOSO) agreed to include
the capability in future Combat Talon modernization
proposals. 20
A whole host of additional topics was discussed
and actions agreed upon. At the conclusion of the
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