Cobra Jaw project and Aircraft 053121
In the spring of 1970, four of the most experienced and proficient 343SRS electronic warfare officers (EWO) (Raven) crews of the 55th Strategic Reconnaissance Wing, were selected to fly the COBRA JAW aircraft/program. The EW crews were deployed on a number of temporary duty assignments to March AFB, CA. Those TDYs occurred from the end of March until the end of May, for equipment installation, and a number of shakedown flights prior to operational deployments.
While at March and billeted in a
motel in
Lockheed did the mechanical engineering
for the towed antenna mechanism (the winch and external fixture), and integrated
the ITT antenna into a tow target for aerodynamics; engineered another system
that was to look specifically at the Soviet Hen House radar at a known site
bordering the Baltic Sea. The collection for this requirement required a towed
antenna (affectionately called ‘the blivet’)
attached to a cable and a coaxial cable which permitted the Raven 1 to reel it
out several hundred feet via an electronic winch and retrieve it while in
flight. The controls were located at what use to be the boom operator’s station
in the rear of the aircraft.
Because of the frequency of the targeted Hen House radar (155-165MHZ), reflection from the aircraft could impact the accuracy of the collected data if the antenna was mounted on the aircraft skin, and thus, isolation from any reflected energy had to be insured. While flying in other than sensitive areas of interest, the antenna was kept in the stowed and locked position.
While the Ravens had all these special receivers, the Security Service personnel had a hodgepodge of old and new systems for their Advisory Support mission. They had an HF receiver full of CRTs that according to the AMS could have been used as a boat anchor. They also had the latest state-of-the-art VHF/UHF receiver (sleek and small for the time). The aircraft also had the older AIC-10 interphone system, which caused problems for Security Service personnel. Whenever the mike was keyed, all input to the headsets was cut off.
The front end
crew of two pilots and two navigators arrived in
The first flight was on 12 May with the front end crew and 20-25 civilian technical personnel. The entire Lockheed staff and contractors were out to watch the take-off to see if the ol’ bird would make it. It did to the cheers (and no doubt, sighs of relief) from the assembled crowd. As the aircraft lumbered into the sky, the crew observed a VW on the San Bernadino freeway and it seemed to be keeping pace with 3121. The Beetle was low and slow and so was the plane.
The aircraft arrived at March before the filed flight plan was communicated. So, in the good ol’ days of Strategic Air Command tight security, no-notice IG arrivals, etc, after being parked, the plane was surrounded by Security Police in jeeps with mounted machine guns. And when the ramp was rolled up to the cargo door, and the civilian personnel with their beards and sneakers began to deplane, the SPs got very alert, jittery and noticeably concerned.
It took a
while for Aircraft Commander Jimmy Jones and the March commanders to get the
situation cleared up before the crew could go to base ops for breakfast and the
refueling to take place. The ensuing test hop was for 3.2 hours and recovered at
On
It was
ferried to March and then to Kelly AFB, TX, on May 25. On May 27 it flew a 2
hour ferry flight from Kelly to Offutt AFB, NE, to return the EW teams home.
Later on the 27th,
the plane was ferried by the flight crew from Offutt to
A
test/training flight was flown on June 16 for 5 hours from/to Offutt. On August
18 the first operational flight with the full crew was flown for 8.4 hours
from/to Offutt. On September 4 with a crew of six Ravens the aircraft deployed
from Offutt AFB to RAF Lakenheath,
September 9th then saw the first operational flight in the
Most flights
were fairly routine, but two flights are worth mentioning. On
When it came time to bring in the towed antenna, it
would only come within 18 inches of the locked position, even after trying a
number of times to run it out and bring it in.
In the middle of this frustrating activity, a battery fire broke out
in the cockpit, filled the entire aircraft with smoke, and all crewmembers went
on 100% Oxygen
The Raven 1, knowing that
there were only two antennas in existence (another had been previously
jettisoned on one of the shakedown missions), called the aircraft commander
and apprised him of the situation, and suggested to him that if he could do a
touch and go at Lakenheath, the Raven 1 could cut the cable and drop the antenna
on the runway. The A/C thought about that, and checked with the navigator who
confirmed it would be dark on arrival. The A/C determined that would be too
dangerous to execute. He directed the Raven 1 cut it over the
On November 17, the
crew was tasked to fly a figure-8 route in international air space over the
In addition, their SRO-2 IFF radars saturated the bandwidth of one of the special purpose GTE receivers being tested. After several minutes the fighters were visually observed firing their cannons abeam and in front of the aircraft. While some operators were feverishly working the mission, spare operators monitored the fighters through the overwing hatches.
After the fighters had “cleared their weapons”, and ignoring the potential threat, the A/C Jones turned the plane back inbound over the Pechora Sea and elected to complete the route as planned.
The
lead fighter pilot reported “the target is turning inbound” and asked for
instructions from his ground controllers, who told him “to standby”. The ensuing
time waiting to learn what his instructions would be was intense indeed.
Finally, the fighters were told to “escort the target” to the collective relief
of those on board 3121. They did and the crew completing the mission without
further incident, our pilots waving ‘good-bye’ to the Soviets as 3121 departed
the area of interest at the end of the route.
On the return leg home, A/C Jones opined that if we reported the firing incident, there would be a lengthy and detailed debriefing with the staff. He was correct. That is a story unto itself.
Upon returning to RAF Lakenheath (the runway had been reopened while the mission was flown), the crew was informed that the Soviets had protested the flight path as being ‘in their air space’; however, the staff reported to SAC HHQ in detail and at great length on the occurrence, and Washington fired back a strong counter protest to the Soviets for firing in international airspace.
When the CINCSAC was briefed on the incident, he suggested the crew be awarded the Silver Star, but was dissuaded by his staff that such action would draw undue attention up channel to the mission, so the award came out as DFCs for the SAC crewmen.
L to R: CP Earl Mayfield, EWOs:
Dave Johnson, Jim Caldwell, Lee Holbert, Charlie McBride, Nav2
Bill Simon, Nav1 Max Moore, AC Jimmy Jones.
DFC presentation at Offutt AFB parade ground
Thus ended the COBRA JAW project as aircraft 3121 was again modified to fly regular operational sorties and training missions from/to Offutt.
COMBAT SENT, the successor aircraft and follow–on equipment to COBRA JAW, was in modification to perform newer technical ELINT missions.
Article initiated by Gary Nelson, with
contributions from Ken Bryars and Charlie McBride; additional
material and edited by Max Moore.