CHECO Report 68 Page 16

Chapter 4

OPERATING CONTEXT AND LIMITATIONS

The capibility of the EC-47 in SEA cannot be accurately gauged unless the context in which it operates, the limitation experienced, and measures taken to overcome these limitations are considered.

Operating Context: The Enemy

The TEWS conduct Airborne Radio Direction Finding operations over RVN, Laos, and in one area six miles from the coast of North Vietnam. Only the generally permissive environment created by U.S. and allied air supremacy maks the EC-47 a suitable aircraft for the operation. The word "generally" must be used because the groundfire threat in Laos makes that area increasingly less permissive than the other two areas.

Beyond the permissive environment, three protective measures are in force for the EC-47 operation. The aircraft itself, except for the three antennas on the nose and wings, resembles the powerfully armed AC-47. Initially the minimum operating altitude was 1,500 feet above ground level (AGL). This was raised to 2,000 feet AGL in March 1967 after nine EC-47 aircraft had received hits at the lower altitude. Also, in high threat areas, the crews were to fly at the altitude recommended in their pre-flight intelligence briefing.

Finally, as a "cover" for the operation, EC-47 aircraft drop psychological warfare leaflets, when they are available. The expenditure of leaflets was scheduled to reach 80,000,000 each quarter after 1 July, 1968. The massive transportation requirement to move leaflets to the TEWS at Nha Trang and Pleiku appeared difficult to meet. At the end of this reporting period, aircraft of those units were flying missions with only one token box of leaflets as a cover in the event the aircraft came down in enemy-held territory.

Page Seventeen

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