 On 10 May 1971, the "MASTACS" exercise was ready to commence off the coast of California, against two USN F4 Phantoms flown by Vietnam combat experienced pilots, who had been students at the Top Gun school.The F4s were equipped with both the infrared homing Sidewinder and radar-guided Sparrow air-to-air missiles.As the two F4s approached Santa Catalina Island, a MASTAC-equipped Firebee was ground-launched.