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 f. (U) AEGIS Program Office, NSWC) stated that the quality of data received was "as good as any data they (his analysts) have ever worked with." ( p. 284).

g. (U) The data examined by NSWC Dahlgren indicated the following regarding the track of interest (TN 4131):

U (1) Altitude as seen by SPY-1 increased steadily, after leaving low elevation, to a maximum of 13,500 feet at intercept. (IO Exhibit 91).

U (2) Altitude readings received from TN 4131's Mode III-C IFF transmission increased steadily from take-off at Bandar Abbas to a maximum of 12,900 feet 3 seconds before intercept. (IO Exhibit 91).

U (3) The only IFF Modes received from TN 4131 as a result of interrogations by the system was Mode III-6760. (IO Exhibit 91)

h. (U) AEGIS Display System (ADS) data cannot be extracted. Therefore, console actions at the CO, "GW", and TAO positions cannot be determined. (IO Exhibit 91).

U i. No data tapes were available from other units, but the Mode III IFF of 6760 and increasing altitude seen in the data tapes from USS VINCENNES were corroborated by testimony and statements from USS SIDES. (IO Exhibits 65-73).

U j. Information obtained from intelligence sources further corroborated that TN 4131 was squawking Mode III-6760. (IO Exhibit 6).

2.

a. (U) The time line below is a summary of all the events dealing with the air engagement which occurred between 0647Z and 0654Z on 3 July 1988. From detection to intercept this was a time window of 7 minutes and 8 seconds. The time line is a reconstruction based on data extraction from USS VINCENNES's tapes, as well as statements, testimony, and log entries from USS VINCENNES, USS SIDES, and USS ELMER MONTGOMERY. The events are in chronological order, but some event times had to be estimated and may not be in precise time sequence.

U b. During this engagement, there were no pre-launch indications and Warnings (I&W) indicators of impending Iranian air activity available to USS VINCENNES from either