In December 1981, the JCS authorized two B-52 bombers to carry out a mission far into the Persian Gulf, to monitor the Soviet Fleet. At this point in time, the Soviet Union was in the vicinity, shadowing the US 7th Fleet, and their Tu-95 Bear bombers from Afghanistan were harassing the US aircraft carriers. The two B-52H bombers took off in the dark, classified as KC-135s to Diego Garcia, replete with fake KC-135 crew lists on the ICAO flight plan, because the Soviet Union always had an intelligence collection fishing trawler off the coast of Guam. Gunners were told to turn off their radar, and radar navigators were told to utilize the same frequencies as KC-135s. These B-52s refueled with tankers stationed on Diego Garcia before heading for the Persian Gulf. The crews communicated with the US Navy before turning toward the Soviet fleet. The Soviet crew was on deck waving during their initial pass because they believed the aircraft to be their BEAR bombers. The Soviet Navy crew was completely invisible on the second pass. The B-52s then performed a flyby and went to Guam.
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