"Paul J. Adam" wrote in message
...
In message , Kevin Brooks
writes
"Paul J. Adam" wrote in message
...
Teaball's info was radioed to a relay aircraft, codenamed Luzon
(usually
a KC-135), but the radios on Luzon were flaky and prone to interference
and _that_ was the reliability problem.
Also, there was a complex structure of "who controlled what units when"
which varied by mission and depended on "whose radios were working":
Red
Crown, Disco, College Eye and Teaball all could be in charge at
different times in a mission.
Sometimes it seems a miracle any of the pilots involved survived.
Based upon a quick perusal, it appears what you are presenting is true,
but
not the "whole truth", so to speak. The EC-121's apparently were indeed
performing at least some of the same kind work in support of the
inbound/outbound fighters--FAS mentions that the EC's of the 193rd TEWS
(PaANG) apparently did also have some interception gear onboard, and
another
source indicates linguists were indeed included in the crew loads when
the
EC's were operating over SEA.
Quoting Michel directly,
"There was considerable SIGINT and other information about the MiGs
available from a variety of sources, but this information was jealously
guarded by the American agencies that collected it: just because
American aircrews were being shot down for lack of this information they
saw no reason to release it."
Teaball was established at Nakhom Phanom in late July 1972 to
co-ordinate the reception, analysis and dissemination of that
information. Direct dissemination just didn't seem to happen, at least
according to Michel.
OK, I was apparently confusing the situation with Red Crown. You might find
an article by a USAF intel/EWO type of interest; it indicates Red Crown was
getting its info from EA-3B's and EC-121M's, and then forwarding that info
to the strike packages (though their info may have been only available to
the USN packages). Red Crown was also apparently exchanging info with
Teaball, but did not require Teaball to originate warnings/directions. I am
wondering how accurate the assertion that Teaball info had to come from
Teabll via that relay RC-135 was, since that source also indicates Teaball
was exchanging info with USAF AWACS EC-121's--we know that these early
generation AWACS did also directly control intercepts that resulted in Migs
being downed (first occured in July '67).
Brooks
http://www.dodccrp.org/6thICCRTS/Cd/...k7/012_tr7.pdf
Brooks
--
When you have to kill a man, it costs nothing to be polite.
W S Churchill
Paul J. Adam MainBoxatjrwlynch[dot]demon{dot}co(.)uk