Air Force details secret Cold War MiG program

[Judi Lynn]

Air Force details secret Cold War MiG program
U.S. pilots were given chance to practice dogfighting against Soviet jets

Updated: 21 minutes ago
DAYTON, Ohio - A once-secret program that enabled thousands of U.S. military pilots to practice dogfighting against Soviet-designed MiG fighter jets was detailed Thursday by the Air Force as part of the first public acknowledgment of the program's existence.

The classified air combat training program ran from 1977 to 1988 at the Tonopah Test Range in remote desert scrubland near Las Vegas and Nellis Air Force Base.

"I guess the mouse is out of the pocket," said Gail Peck, who helped start the program and was its first commander. "After 20-some odd years, you have a little bit of a tingling feeling talking about things that were so closely held for so long."

Officials decided to declassify the program after determining that releasing the information would not harm anyone, and the Air Force announced the move Monday. A news conference was held Thursday at the National Museum of the United States Air Force, which has a MiG fighter on display.
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http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/15757360/

[acmejack]

1. Worst kept secret ever

[A HERETIC I AM]

2. No kidding.

The quote should have read "Officials decided to release the report after dozens of documentaries on the Wings, Discovery and Military channels have let that cat out of the bag for over ten years."

[Robb]

4. This was my feeling reading this as well

I wonder how much was spent over the years, maintaining this big secret. Anyone with any interest in aviation has known about this forever.

[independentpiney]

5. Really, I'd have never known this was supposed to be secret

if i hadn't seen this article.

[leveymg]

3. "Top Secret" feel-good reporting for the Top Gun crowd.

Press release secrets.

[DiverDave]

6. Chuck Yeager wrote about flying a MIG in his book

published in the '80's.
Yeah, some secret:eyes:

[Historic NY]

7. What secret...........

we offered to give back a few of the Migs but the Soviets never acknowledged we had them. Some were obtained by subterfuge, at least one was bought, and a few came from pilots that defected and were paid for them. Heck, Wright-Paterson Air Force Base has had more than a few in its inventory and at the museum. Secret, wasn't to me, I knew we were flying them.