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(26) (U) CJTFME and CO USS Vincennes discussed the complexity of the commercial air picture on several occasions prior to 3 July 1988. ( p. 856, 861).
U
(27) (S) Airbus' normally climb at 350–370 KTS and cruise at 450 – 460 KTS. (IO Exhibit 238).
b. Iran Air Flight 655.
(1) (U) Iran Air Flight 655 Airbus, A-300B2-202, was delivered by the French Airbus Industrie on 30 April 1982 configured with a standard civilian type Dual Collins 621-A6 IFF. The General Electric engines are identified as GE CF6-50C2. Airbus Industrie has never delivered an Airbus equipped with an IFF radar Mode II. (IO Exhibit 247).
(2) (U) Bandar Abbas International is the only active, joint use (military/civilian) Iranian airport in the southern Persian Gulf area. (IO Exhibit 90, p. 418).
U
(3) (S) Iran Air Flight 655 was scheduled to depart Bandar Abbas at 0950(L) or 0620Z but actually took off at 1017(L) or 0647Z. (IO Exhibit 232 & 280).
U
(4) (S) Bandar Abbas control tower has in the past informed civilian airlines of ongoing hostilities in the SOH. (IO Exhibit 232).
(5) (U) The control tower at Bandar Abbas failed to warn Iran Air Flight 655 that there was an ongoing naval engagement between U.S. Naval Forces and Iranian Revolutionary Guard naval forces (IRGN). (IO Exhibits 280, 232).
U
(6) (S) Iran Air Flight 655, on direction of the control tower at Bandar Abbas International, turned on its IFF Mode III to 6760 on deck prior to launch and the mode was read correctly by the tower as 6760. (IO Exhibit 280).
U
(7) (S) Iran Air Flight 655 took off from Bandar Abbas International Airfield on runway 21 at 0647Z. It was cleared to Dubai via A-59 at FL 140 (14,000 FT) with an assigned IFF Mode III squawk of 6760. The pilot reported passing MOBET (position report) at 0654Z and vacating FL 120 (12,000 feet). (IO Exhibits 232, 235, 236, 280).
U
(8) (S) Iran Air Flight 655 squawked Mode III 6760 from take off to missile intercept. (IO Exhibits 91, 280).
U
(9) (S) IR 655 was 3.35NM west of the centerline of air route A-59 at missile intercept, time 06:54:43, passing
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