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From: gjphw@ihuxm.UUCP
Newsgroups: net.aviation
Subject: Re: KAL 007
Message-ID: <571@ihuxm.UUCP>
Date: Mon, 26-Sep-83 15:05:32 EDT
Article-I.D.: ihuxm.571
Posted: Mon Sep 26 15:05:32 1983
Date-Received: Wed, 28-Sep-83 04:47:57 EDT
Organization: BTL Naperville, Il.
Lines: 33



      Last week, I spent a short time in the library reading several recent
 issues of "Aviation Week and Space Technology".  The last three weeks worth
 contained several articles about the KAL 747 incident and editorials about the
 tragedy.  One editorial complained about the changing story on whether or not
 the Russian fighters attempted to gain the attention of the crew on Flight 007
 by firing cannons.  The author also brought up a chilling possibility.

      In 1978, a KAL 707 strayed into Russian airspace.  That in itself was bad
 enough.  But what really seemed to bother the Russian high command was that
 the airplane flew so long through Russian airspace (over 2 hours) before it
 was challenged!  The editorial mentioned that one high military official was
 relieved of command because of the failure to engage the KAL airliner more
 quickly (executions were not mentioned).

      From the transcripts of the interceptor's reports, it appeared to the
 editorial writer that the Russians had a reasonable guess as to the nature of
 the aircraft (probably thinking that it was a military operation) and required
 no confirmation from the pilot.  The craft was only referred to as "...the
 target."  And, considering how long it took for fighters to intercept the KAL
 747, the airliner was targeted for being shot down even before the Su15s left
 their base.  The KAL flight had to be shot down to avoid further embarrassment
 in the Russian military command, independently of its situation (pilot error,
 equipment failure, a short cut to home, spying for U.S., etc.).

      Is this an example of "Shoot first and ask questions later?"


                                     Patrick Wyant
                                     AT&T Bell Laboratories (Naperville, IL)
                                     *!ihuxm!gjphw