Have Doughnut
Encyclopedia
Have Doughnut was the name of a Defense Intelligence Agency
project whose purpose was to evaluate and exploit a MiG-21 "Fishbed-E" that the United States Air Force
acquired in 1967 from Israel. Israel acquired the aircraft on August 16, 1966, when Iraqi Air Force
pilot Capt. Munir Redfa
, in a defection pre-arranged by the Israeli Mossad Intelligence Agency
, flew it to Israel during a training flight.
In this multi-service project, Air Force and United States Navy
pilots evaluated the MiG-21, redesignated as the "YF-110", in a variety of situations. The project's name came from the "doughnut" sight on the F-4 Phantom's canopy used to aim at the opposing aircraft. The inability of the Navy to disseminate the results of this highly classified project to combat pilots was part of the impetus to create the United States Navy Fighter Weapons School
. The Have Doughnut tests were conducted at Area 51
.
Defense Intelligence Agency
The Defense Intelligence Agency is a member of the Intelligence Community of the United States, and is the central producer and manager of military intelligence for the United States Department of Defense, employing over 16,500 U.S. military and civilian employees worldwide...
project whose purpose was to evaluate and exploit a MiG-21 "Fishbed-E" that the United States Air Force
United States Air Force
The United States Air Force is the aerial warfare service branch of the United States Armed Forces and one of the American uniformed services. Initially part of the United States Army, the USAF was formed as a separate branch of the military on September 18, 1947 under the National Security Act of...
acquired in 1967 from Israel. Israel acquired the aircraft on August 16, 1966, when Iraqi Air Force
Iraqi Air Force
The Iraqi Air Force or IQAF is the military branch in Iraq responsible for the policing of international borders, surveillance of national assets and aerial operations...
pilot Capt. Munir Redfa
Munir Redfa
Munir Redfa was an Iraqi fighter pilot, of ethnic Assyrian origin, who defected to Israel in 1966 by flying a MiG-21 of the Iraqi Air Force. In what is considered as one of the Mossad's most successful operations, Redfa's entire extended family was smuggled safely out of Iraq to Israel...
, in a defection pre-arranged by the Israeli Mossad Intelligence Agency
Mossad
The Mossad , short for HaMossad leModi'in uleTafkidim Meyuchadim , is the national intelligence agency of Israel....
, flew it to Israel during a training flight.
In this multi-service project, Air Force and United States Navy
United States Navy
The United States Navy is the naval warfare service branch of the United States Armed Forces and one of the seven uniformed services of the United States. The U.S. Navy is the largest in the world; its battle fleet tonnage is greater than that of the next 13 largest navies combined. The U.S...
pilots evaluated the MiG-21, redesignated as the "YF-110", in a variety of situations. The project's name came from the "doughnut" sight on the F-4 Phantom's canopy used to aim at the opposing aircraft. The inability of the Navy to disseminate the results of this highly classified project to combat pilots was part of the impetus to create the United States Navy Fighter Weapons School
United States Navy Fighter Weapons School
The United States Navy Strike Fighter Tactics Instructor program , more popularly known as TOPGUN, is the modern-day evolution of the United States Navy Fighter Weapons School which was originally established on March 3, 1969 at the former Naval Air Station Miramar in California...
. The Have Doughnut tests were conducted at Area 51
Area 51
Area 51 is a military base, and a remote detachment of Edwards Air Force Base. It is located in the southern portion of Nevada in the western United States, 83 miles north-northwest of downtown Las Vegas. Situated at its center, on the southern shore of Groom Lake, is a large military airfield...
.