MADDEN: "LAST YEAR, THEY HAD PLENTY OF TRIPLE A AND SOME SAMS, BUT THIS YEAR, THEIR DEFENCES ARE CONSIDERABLY HEAVIER, AND THE SAM THREAT HAS INCREASED SIGNIFICANTLY."



REPORTER:"HOW MANY TIMES HAVE THEY INCREASED THEIR CAPACITY, DO YOU THINK?"



MADDEN: "THEY HAVE TRIPLED AT LEAST."



REPORTER: "HOW ABOUT MIG'S? ARE THEY A GREATER THIS YEAR?"



MADDEN: "THE MIG'S ARE CONSIDERABLY MORE ACTIVE THIS YEAR THAN THEY WERE LAST YEAR. THEIR ACTIVITY IS TWO OR THREE TIMES GREATER THAN IT WAS LAST YEAR ."


1.
LV (DO NOT USE SOF) PLANE TAKES OFF
0.03

2.
SV INT. (DO NOT USE SOF) CONTROLLER IN TOWER
0.10

3.
LV PAN. (DO NO USE SOF) PLANES LAND (2 SHOTS)
0.23

4.
SV (DO NOT USE SOF) PILOT STANDS WITH REPORTER
0.34

5.
CU (SOF) PILOT INTERVIEWED
1.09



Initials PW/V/MR/PC



Script is copyright Reuters Limited. All rights reserved

Background: AMERICAN AIR STRIKES OVER NORTH VIETNAM ARE NOW RUNNING INTO GREATLY INCREASED AIR DEFENCES. U.S. AIR FORCE PILOTS REPORT HUNDREDS OF NEW ANTI-AIRCRAFT SITES, MORE SURFACE-TO-AIR MISSILES (SAMS) AND MORE MIG FIGHTERS OPPOSING THEM. ONE VETERAN JET PILOT, FIRST LIEUTENANT JOHN MADDEN, ESTIMATED RECENTLY THAT NORTH VIETNAM AIR DEFENCE CAPACITY HAD TRIPLED.

MADDEN, WHO COMES FROM MISSISSIPPI, FLEW 36 MISSIONS OVER NORTH VIETNAM LAST YEAR AND RECENTLY RETURNED AFTER SOME TIME BACK HOME. WHILE U.S. AIRCRAFT LOSSES NOW AVERAGE ONE JET A DAY, THE U.S. DEFENSE DEPARTMENT ESTIMATES THAT LOSSES IN THE CURRENT FINANCIAL YEAR MAY REACH 540 PLANES - A LOSS OF 1 1/2 BILLION DOLLARS.

IN THE LIGHT OF THESE INCREASED LOSSES, LIEUTENANT MADDEN MADE SOME COMPARISONS BETWEEN NORTH VIETNAM AIR DEFENCE CAPACITY LAST YEAR AND THE BIGGER HAZARD WHICH AMERICAN PILOTS FACE NOW. MADDEN TALKED TO OUR REPORTER: